GLOSSY PRIVET/LIGUSTRUM
Ligustrum Trees (Ligustrum spp.), often called Privet, are versatile evergreen plants widely used in Florida as hedges, screens, or small ornamental trees. Here’s a detailed overview:
✅ Appearance & Characteristics
Foliage: Glossy, deep green leaves; some cultivars have gold-tipped or variegated foliage for added color.
Flowers: Small, white, fragrant (sometimes malodorous) blooms in spring or early summer.
Fruit: Blue-black berries that persist into winter and attract birds.
Form: Naturally multi-trunked with a rounded canopy; can be trained into single-trunk standards or bonsai-like forms.
✅ Size & Growth
Height: Commonly 8–15 ft; some varieties can reach 15–20 ft or more if left untrimmed.
Spread: 15–25 ft for mature specimens.
Growth Rate: Moderate to fast; young plants grow quickly, slowing with age.
USDA Zones: 7B–10A (thrives throughout Florida).
Cold Tolerance: Excellent—handles Florida winters well.
✅ Care & Maintenance
Light: Full sun to partial shade.
Soil: Adaptable to most soils; prefers well-drained sites.
Water: Drought-tolerant once established; avoid overwatering.
Fertilizer: Apply granular fertilizer in spring, summer, and fall.
Pruning: Can be tightly clipped for hedges or left natural for a small shade tree; prune tops narrower than the base for hedge health.
Spacing: Plant 8 ft from structures; 4–6 ft from walks or driveways.
✅ Salt & Drought Tolerance
Salt: Moderate to high tolerance—can be planted near coastal areas but avoid direct salt spray.
Drought: High tolerance once established.
✅ Landscape Uses
Privacy Hedge or Screen: Dense foliage makes it ideal for blocking views.
Specimen Tree: Multi-trunk form creates an elegant focal point.
Formal or Oriental Gardens: Works well manicured or natural.
Walkway Canopy: Plant in rows for a shaded path.
Accent Plant: Variegated and gold-tipped varieties add color contrast.
✅ Popular Varieties
Ligustrum japonicum (Japanese Privet): Classic green foliage; can grow 15 ft or more.
‘Howardii’: Gold-tipped leaves for a bright accent.
‘Jack Frost’: Variegated green and ivory foliage.
Sunshine Ligustrum: Sterile cultivar with chartreuse foliage; compact (3–6 ft).
⚠️ Things to Watch
Invasive Potential: Some species (e.g., Ligustrum sinense) are invasive in Florida—choose sterile or Florida-friendly cultivars.
Flower Odor: Some people find blooms unpleasant.
Pests/Disease: Generally hardy, but thrips, mites, and nematodes can occur.
NOTE FROM JOEL
The Ligustrum is perfect as an ornamental tree or beautification of a particular spot. As you can see in our pictures, a Ligustrum can be left with all its foliage, or it can be ‘limbed up’, providing a visual see through. This also provides a perfect opportunity to create a canopy which resembles an umbrella in shape. These trees are gorgeous. They stay dark green in color, and if pruned regularly they will create accents to your yard that no other tree can do.
