Common Privet - Ligustrum vulgare

The Ligustrum vulgare, also known as the common privet or European privet, is a vigorous bush, particularly easy to grow in our climate, highly appreciated for creating trimmed hedges. Its dense vegetation is appreciated by both gardeners and birds, who willingly nest in it, while its fragrant blossom feeds bees. When not trimmed, it produces small black berries sought after by some birds. Vigorous and fast-growing, this privet is also very accommodating regarding soil and exposure.

Native to temperate areas of Europe, Asia, and North Africa, the common privet is perfectly at ease in most of our regions. Resistant to cold, it prefers limestone, fertile, and fresh soils, but is very accommodating. This deciduous bush belongs, like lilac and olive trees, to the Oleaceae family. Its habit is bushy and ramified, its erect stems are very vigorous, and its growth is rapid. The common privet easily regenerates from its stump, and its drooping branches spontaneously layer quite easily. It can easily reach a height of 3 to 4 m (10ft to 13ft) with a width of 2 to 3 m (7 to 10ft). Its very dense foliage consists of narrow and ovate leaves of a dark green colour, measuring between 3 and 6 cm (2 to 2.4 in) in length, which is mostly absent in winter. In June-July, on untrimmed subjects, small cream-white tubular flowers appear, truly fragrant and intensely nectariferous, in panicles of 10 to 12 cm (4 to 5 in). This flowering is followed by small round berries of 3 to 5 mm (0.12-0.2in) in diameter, becoming black and shiny in autumn. They persist for part of the winter. The leaves, flowers, and fruits of the privet are toxic to humans if ingested. The roots of the privet are voracious, making it difficult for perennial plants to become established at its base. Allow a sufficiently large planting distance around it.

This common privet is one of the most used bushes for creating trimmed hedges and windbreaks. It is very easy to shape at will, which makes it particularly suitable for topiaries. It also deserves to be planted in groups, masses, wild or rural hedges, which will allow you to enjoy its blossom. The Ligustrum vulgare can be associated with other shrubs with summer flowering (deciduous ceanothus, hibiscus, lilac, mock orange, buddleias, flowering crabapple). Trimmed into a topiary, it will be most effective when accompanied by other also trimmed shrubs (boxwood, Elaeagnus ebbingei, yew), with different shapes and foliage, as a graphic and minimalist ornament.

Properties: With its highly fragrant and nectariferous flowering, this privet contributes to the preservation of bees. Its pollen can be allergenic for certain sensitive individuals. The privet has a very high resistance to pollution.