Accession Count: 2
Common Name:
Japanese privet
Family Name:
Oleaceae
Botanical Name:
Ligustrum japonicum
Sub Species:
Variety:
Forma:
Cultivar:
Characteristics:
Ligustrum japonicum is a small evergreen tree or shrub that grows to 15 feet tall and wide, developing one or multiple trunks in the process. Its growth habit is dense and rounded, and can be trained into a variety of shapes. The leaves of L. japonicum are opposite, ovate, waxy, and glabrous (smooth, without trichomes on the surface). The leaves are four inches long, and thick (3). Flowers are small, creamy white, and borne on upright panicles, having an odor which is musty, and often unpleasant to humans. Fruit is dark purple to black, waxy, oval shaped, and matures in the Fall. There are several cultivars of the Japanese privet available for use as landscape ornamentals, including variegated varieties, and varieties with lustrous, thick, leaves.
Compound:
Lig jap
Geographic Origin:
Japan
Ecozone Origin:
Palearctic
Biome Origin:
Natural History:
L. japonicum is native to Japan as well as parts of China. It was introduced to the United Stated in the 19th century as a popular landscape ornamental tree or hedge (4).
Cultivation Notes:
L. japonicum is best suited for mesic landscape settings, as it does not handle direct light or full sun in harsh climates. This plant thrives in well-drained soils. It is tolerant of a wide range of soil types, including calcareous soils. The plant is drought tolerant, but not very tolerant of salt (2). The Japanese privet is hardy to 15°F. Typically, this plant is sold as a small multi-trunk tree. Pruning is not necessary; however, it can tolerate shearing better than most woody plants, and is used as a hedge in regions with mild climates (3). Although this plant is widely distributed and commonly used in landscapes, it has potential as an invasive species, as it reseeds heavily, and its dense growth habit can prevent the germination of other species around it. If planted, place in a location where it is unlikely to escape cultivation (4), or remove the flower panicles so it is unable to reseed (1). This plant can be propagated by seed or stem cuttings. In Arizona, the Japanese privet is vulnerable to Texas root rot and spider mites, and can become chlorotic in poorly drained alkaline soils (3).
Ethnobotany:
In modern landscapes, L. japonicum is used as a hedge, a patio
tree, or an accent tree. This plant has been used extensively in old
world European gardens (3). The leaves and fruit should not be eaten by humans, as they are poisonous if ingested, but can be eaten by birds (5).
Height:
11 - 15 feet
Width:
11 - 15 feet
Growth Rate:
Moderate Growing
Grow Season:
Spring
Flower Season:
Spring
Color:
White
Function:
Screen
Spread:
Non-spreading
Allergen:
Non-allergenic
Invasive:
Invasive
Toxicity:
Toxic
Hardy:
Hardy
Water Use:
Moderate Water Use
