Invasive Plant Management in the North Carolina Sandhills
Ligustrum japonicum - Japanese privet
Privet is a thick,
semi-evergreen shrub to 30 feet in height. Trunks usually occur as
multiple stems with many long, leafy branches attached at near right
angles. Leaves are opposite, oval and .5 to 1.5 inches long often
slightly rolled in appearance. White flowers are very abundant and
occur at the end of branches in clusters. Fruit ripen to a dark purple
to black color and persist into winter. Although several species occur
they are hard to distinguish. It commonly forms dense thickets in the
fields or in the understory of forests. It shades and out competes many
native species and, once established, is very difficult to remove.
Privet was introduced into the United States in the early 1800s. It is
commonly used as an ornamental shrub and for hedgerows.
