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Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense)

Sources differ in describing Ligustrum sinense as a shrub to small tree with dense branches that can form clumps from root suckers; depending on climate, it may be semi-evergreen or deciduous. It is reported to be perennial.

LightLigustrum sinense can grow in full sun to partial sun or bright partial shade.
WaterIt does best in moist but well-drained to generally well-drained growing medium and is unsuited to prolonged waterlogging.
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Overview

Sources differ in describing Ligustrum sinense as a shrub to small tree with dense branches that can form clumps from root suckers; depending on climate, it may be semi-evergreen or deciduous. It is reported to be perennial.

Origin and habitat

Sources differ on the native range, describing it broadly as eastern to southeastern Asia, mainly including China, Taiwan, Laos, and Vietnam. Sources differ in their habitat accounts, which include mixed forest, open woodland, shrubland, valleys, stream and river banks, gullies, and slopes. Its native range extends from warm-temperate to tropical parts of Asia; it favors warmth and can adapt from sunny conditions to bright partial shade.

Characteristics

Sources differ on mature height, giving about 200–700 cm, while the few sources for mature spread report about 250–400 cm. It grows vigorously and can spread by root suckers; its opposite, mostly elliptic, oblong to lanceolate leaves have entire margins, may have hairs on the surface or midrib, and can be deciduous to semi-evergreen, with substantial leaf loss possible in cold winters. Small white to creamy-white flowers are densely borne in panicles, and flowering is generally reported in midsummer. Sources differ in describing the fruit, which is nearly spherical and berry-like, ripens black to blue-black, and may hang in clusters.

Light

Ligustrum sinense can grow in full sun to partial sun or bright partial shade.

Watering

It does best in moist but well-drained to generally well-drained growing medium and is unsuited to prolonged waterlogging.

Growing medium and mounting

It adapts to chalk, clay, loam, and sandy soils across acidic, neutral, and alkaline conditions; well-drained conditions are preferable, while poor or persistently waterlogged growing media should be avoided.

Common problems

A source reports pests including whiteflies, two-banded Japanese weevil, white peach scale, privet rust mite, and other privet mites. It can spread readily by abundant seed and root suckers and form dense thickets; after escaping cultivation, it can displace native vegetation and is regarded as invasive in multiple regions. Winter cold affects how evergreen the foliage remains, and cold winters may cause loss of most or all leaves; sources also describe the plant as warmth-loving but having some cold tolerance.

Identification

Ligustrum sinense has small opposite leaves, often softly hairy young branches, small white flowers in dense panicles followed by clusters of small dark fruits, and densely branching stems that can spread by root suckers.

Photos

Ligustrum sinense
📷 Didier Descouens · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Ligustrum sinense
📷 Angus Campbell, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by An · CC BY · source
Ligustrum sinense
📷 Angus Campbell, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by An · CC BY · source

Sources