Privet
Ligustrum ovalifolium and L. vulgare
Privet is a fast-growing, semi-evergreen shrub that has been the classic suburban hedge in the UK and US for generations. It tolerates clipping, pollution and poor soil.
Photo: MPF · CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
Essential Care Requirements
Light
Full sun, Partial sun
Watering
Moderate
Water new hedges in dry spells.
Soil
Almost any soil; pH 5.5–8.0.
Temperature and humidity
-25–38 °C · Moderate humidity
Feeding
Feed in spring.
Pruning and propagation
Propagate by stem cuttings
Clip two or three times a year in the growing season.
The berries and leaves are toxic if eaten.
Top Cultivation Tips
Clipping prevents strong-smelling flowers and berries.
Some species are invasive in the south-eastern US.
Golden privet brightens hedges.
Hardy in USDA zones 5–8.
Common problems
Aphids
Small, soft-bodied insects that cluster on new shoots and buds, sucking sap and leaving sticky honeydew behind.
How to treat it →PestBagworms
Caterpillars that live inside spindle-shaped silk bags covered with bits of leaf and strip evergreens and other shrubs of their foliage.
How to treat it →DiseaseHoney fungus
A destructive fungus that attacks and kills the roots of trees and shrubs, spreading underground by black, bootlace-like strands.
How to treat it →PestScale insects
Immobile, shell-covered insects that cling to stems and leaves, draining sap and weakening trees and houseplants.
How to treat it →
