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Garden Privet (California Privet)

Ligustrum ovalifolium

Summary 7

Ligustrum ovalifolium, also known as oval-leaved privet, is a semi-evergreen shrub in the privet genus Ligustrum. The species is native to Japan. It is sometimes known as Japanese privet, but is not to be confused with Ligustrum japonicum which may also be called by this common name.

Naturalized—invasive species 8

The species is reportedly naturalized in France, Spain, Italy, the Balearic Islands, Saint Helena, Réunion, Chiapas (México), Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, the Juan Fernandez Islands, Ontario, and in the United States.

Ligustrum ovalifolium has also been listed as an invasive species in areas of the United States, including: California, Hawaii, Washington state, Texas, Missouri, Alabama, and many of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern states. 46 states have it listed on their noxious weed lists.

Prevention and control 9

Do not plant privets. Small plants can be dug out pulled out by hand or with the help of a mattock or heavy Weed Wrench® type tool. Larger plants can be cut repeatedly or treated with a systemic herbicide. Herbicide can be sprayed on foliage or applied to bark or cut stems and stumps. No biological controls are available for any of these species. Known pests that affect privets include a foliage-feeding insect native to Europe (Macrophya punctumalbum), a fungal leaf spot (Pseudocercospora ligustri) and a common root crown bacteria (Agrobacterium tume-faciens).

Sources and Credits

  1. (c) Nèg Foto, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), http://www.flickr.com/photos/negfoto/3535685299/
  2. Georges Jansoone JoJan, no known copyright restrictions (public domain), https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dc/Ligustrum_ovalifolium_001.jpg
  3. (c) 2005 Luigi Rignanese, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?seq_num=165515&one=T
  4. (c) MPF, some rights reserved (CC BY), https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1e/Ligustrum_ovalifolium1.jpg
  5. I.Sáček, senior, no known copyright restrictions (public domain), https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/83/Aureum5027.jpg
  6. I.Sáček, senior, no known copyright restrictions (public domain), https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3c/Aureum5026.jpg
  7. Adapted by Kate Wagner from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ligustrum_ovalifolium
  8. (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ligustrum_ovalifolium
  9. (c) Unknown, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/22878019

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