Ligustrum lucidum - Glossy Privet

Ligustrum lucidum, often mistakenly called Japanese Privet, is actually known as Chinese Privet or Glossy Privet, due to its large, highly glossy leaves. This tall botanical species with late but generous and pleasantly scented flowering, is among the most ornamental of its genus. This large evergreen shrub or small tree with a conical habit is often used as a hedge in mild regions, as its hardiness can be lacking in colder climates. A magnificent ornamental subject for the garden, pleasing in all seasons and extremely adaptable to growing conditions.

Originally mainly from China, but also found in Japan and Korea, Ligustrum lucidum is a small evergreen tree of the Oleaceae family, just like lilacs and forsythia. Its habit is generally conical, composed of a short trunk with brown and grey bark that can reach a width of 10cm (4in), and a dense and ramified crown. The fairly fast-growing plant can reach up to 25m (82ft) in height in certain conditions, especially in warm and humid climates. In our gardens, it generally reaches a height of 7m (23ft) and a crown width of 5m (16ft). The branches bear persistent, tough, opposite, entire, ovate and pointed leaves, measuring up to 15cm (6in) long and 8cm (3in) wide. The leaves are thick and very glossy on the upper side. There is a subspecies, latifolium, which loses its leaves in winter. Each leaf appears folded in half along the very pronounced midrib. In late summer or early autumn, in September-October depending on the region, 8 to 20cm (3 to 8in) long panicles composed of small white-pink to white-cream flowers bloom on the current year's shoots. Their pleasant fragrance attracts many pollinating insects. The flowers give way to small deep blue-black berries, provided no pruning is done after flowering. Note that all parts of the privet are toxic to humans if ingested. Moderately hardy, this Chinese privet, once established, can withstand short frosts of around -12°C (10.4°F). It adapts to a wide range of sufficiently deep soils and tolerates summer drought relatively well.

Privet hides some treasures among the approximately 50 species that make up the genus. Chinese privet deserves more than an anonymous spot in a neatly trimmed hedge, as it is an easy-to-grow small tree, valuable for bringing a precise, orderly, reassuring note to the structure of the garden, and providing lushness to neglected areas and forgotten boundaries. It will draw attention for much of the year with its fragrant flowering, its clustered fruits, and its distinctive foliage. It can be left to grow freely in a grove of shrubs, alongside the wayfaring tree, cotoneaster, firethorn, holly, oleaster, deciduous or evergreen spindle trees, brooms, Portugal laurel, and bay laurel. Be inspired!