They often have conspicuous heads of white flowers[6] followed by black berries. 4. ", "Nine poisonous plants horses should avoid", Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Privet&oldid=986615983, Articles with dead external links from March 2014, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 1 November 2020, at 23:33. [7] At least some privet species are known to be toxic to horses.[13]. Copyright Leaf Group Ltd. // Leaf Group Lifestyle. It is a member of the olive (Oleaccae) family. Privet, of the genus Ligustrum, includes 40 to 50 species of evergreen, semi-evergreen and deciduous shrubs. Common privet, or ligustrum vulgare is a type of privet hedge. It produces white flowers that have an unpleasant odor and green berries that mature to dull black in winter. It has small, yellowish variegated leaves and 4-inch white flower clusters that can hardly be seen against the foliage. Currently privet is designated as a foreign invasive plant in … Privet, of the genus Ligustrum, includes 40 to 50 species of evergreen, semi-evergreen and deciduous shrubs. She holds a Master of Arts in English from Seton Hall University. Naturalised Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, Dicotyledons. Whitman is also an avid gardener and enjoys writing gardening articles for Garden Guides. Be careful as they can be invasive in some areas, like the Southeast. White flowers appear in June in 1- to 3-inch clusters. The Integrated Taxonomic Information System lists eleven "accepted" species of Ligustrum. Fran Whitman began writing professionally in 2009. The first species of privet was introduced into the United States in the 1700s as an ornamental plant used as a hedge or foliage for gardens. There are several different species and types of privet grown in gardens. [15][16][17], Genus of flowering plants in the family Oleaceae. European privet (Ligustrum vulgare) is a deciduous shrub that grows to 15 feet in height. Various species are now a problem in North America, Australia and New Zealand. Some species produce a fruit, which is mildly toxic to humans. Click below on a thumbnail map or name for species profiles. Privet is not native to North America, but various species have been introduced to the United States where they are widely used as ornamental shrubs and in hedgerows. While the flowers are pretty, privet is primarily grown to form a thick, inpenetrable hedge. They are easy to grow and can reach 4 to 15 feet and can spread from 4 to 8 feet. The leaves are evergreen and pear-shaped. vulgare. [14] Additional species are listed in other references. The U.S. Forest Service considers it invasive. [7] The oval leaf privet Ligustrum ovalifolium is used for hedges, while its flexible twigs are sometimes used as cords for lashing. It is a member of the olive (Oleaccae) family. This hardy plant tolerates a wide variety of soil types and requires little maintenance. Ligustrum amurense Amur privet Ligustrum ibota . Chinese privet is used in traditional herbal medicine. Privet (translated into German as Liguster) is a core part of Michael Frayn's novel Spies, which was published in 2002. They often have conspicuous heads of white flowers followed by black berries. In the Harry Potter novels by J. K. Rowling, the Dursley family lives at #4 Privet Drive. The generic name was applied by Pliny the Elder (23–79 CE) to L. Privets escaped cultivation in the early 1900s, but became widely naturalizedduring the 1950s-1970s or later. Shrubs and small trees of southern and eastern Asia leaves and 4-inch white flower clusters that can crowd out species! In North America, Australia and New Zealand they often have conspicuous heads of white flowers followed dark. 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