Border Privet
(Ligustrum obtusifolium)
Biological Category
Plants
NY Legal Status
Prohibited
Species Type
Shrub or woody bush
DESCRIPTION
Border privet is a deciduous shrub that may grow to be 20 ft. tall. Its leaves are opposite, have smooth margins, and can vary in shape from oval to oblong. Some shrubs may have short, thorny twigs protruding from the branches. Privet produces clusters of small, white, trumpet-shaped flowers at the tips of the branches. Its berries turn black when they ripen and remain on the plant into winter.
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Growth form: woody, perennial, semi-deciduous shrub growing up to 10 ft in height.
Leaf: Elliptic or an oblong oval measuring 1-2 inches long and 1/3 inch wide. Tip of the leaf can be pointed or blunt. Upper surface is dark green while the lower surface is hairy
Flower: Unpleasantly scented and are borne in nodding panicles measuring 3/4 to 1 1/2 inches long at the tip of branches. Flowers begin appearing in June
Fruit: Are berry-like (drupes) that are black to blue-black with a whitish blush at the tip of branches. They are round or nearly round in shape and measure 1/4 inch in length. Fruits appear in September and persist on branches into winter
Stem: Bark is light gray and smooth. Branches extend straight out from the main stem
Smaller shrubs can be pulled by hand. Larger shrubs can be treated with herbicide using cut-stump, foliar, or basal bark applications.
China and Japan
Privet forms dense thickets, shading out native plants. It also displaces native shrubs and seedlings in regenerating forests. Border privet seeds are primarily dispersed by birds.
Manual: Smaller shrubs can be pulled by hand. Larger shrubs can be treated with herbicide using cut-stump, foliar, or basal bark applications.
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