European privet

Ligustrum vulgare L.

Description from Invasive.org

Appearance
Ligustrum vulgare is a semi-evergreen shrub or small tree that grows to 20 ft. (6.1 m) in height. Trunks usually occur as multiple stems with many long, leafy branches.
Foliage
Leaves are opposite, lanceolate, 1-2.4 in. (2.5-6 cm) long and 0.2-0.6 in. (0.5-1.5 cm) wide.
Flowers
Flowering occurs from April to June, when panicles of white to cream flowers develop in terminal and upper axillary clusters. Pollen can cause an allergic reaction in some people.
Fruit
The abundant fruits are spherical, 0.3-0.05 in. (1-1.3 cm) long. Fruit begins green and ripens to a dark purple to black color and persists into winter. Birds and wildlife eat the fruit and disperse the seeds. Seed soil viability is about one year. It also colonizes by root sprouts.
Ecological Threat
Ligustrums can tolerate a wide range of conditions. They form dense thickets invading fields, fencerows, roadsides, forest understories, and riparian sites. They can shade out and exclude native understory species, perhaps even reduce tree recruitment. Native to Europe and Asia, they are commonly used as ornamental shrubs and for hedgerows.

Resources


Selected Images from Invasive.org

View All Images at Invasive.org


Plant(s)
Nava Tabak, Invasive Plant Atlas of New England, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Plant(s)
Nava Tabak, Invasive Plant Atlas of New England, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Flower(s)
Nava Tabak, Invasive Plant Atlas of New England, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Flower(s)
Nava Tabak, Invasive Plant Atlas of New England, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Foliage
Nava Tabak, Invasive Plant Atlas of New England, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Foliage sprout
Robert Vidéki, Doronicum Kft., Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Flower(s)
Dow Gardens , Dow Gardens, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Flower(s) foliage
Robert Vidéki, Doronicum Kft., Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Plant(s) early in season
Mark Frey, The Presidio Trust , Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Plant(s)
USDA NRCS PLANTS Database , USDA NRCS PLANTS Database, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Plant(s) Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. Illustrated flora of the northern states and Canada. Vol. 2: 729.
USDA NRCS PLANTS Database , USDA NRCS PLANTS Database, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Seed(s)
Steve Hurst, USDA NRCS PLANTS Database, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage

Distribution