| Ligustrum ovalifolium | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Oleaceae |
| Genus: | Ligustrum |
| Species: | L. ovalifolium |
| Binomial name | |
| Ligustrum ovalifolium | |
Ligustrum ovalifolium, also known as Korean privet, [1] California privet, garden privet, [2] and oval-leaved privet, is a species of flowering plant in the olive family Oleaceae. [3] The species is native to Japan and Korea. [3]
Ligustrum ovalifolium is a dense, fast-growing, deciduous (evergreen/semi-evergreen in warm winter areas) shrub or small tree. It grows to 10–15 feet (3.0–4.6 m) tall and wide. [4] Its thick, fleshy leaf is green on the top, and greenish-yellow on the underside. [3]
It flowers in midsummer, the abundant white blooms producing a unique pungent fragrance, unpleasant to some. [3] They are borne in panicles. They have four curled-back petals and two high stamens with yellow or red anthers, between which is the low pistil; the petals and stamens fall off after the flower is fertilized, leaving the pistil in the calyx tube. Flowering starts after 330 growing degree days.[ citation needed ]
The fruits, borne in clusters, are small purple to black drupes, poisonous for humans but readily eaten by many birds. [3] In favorable growing conditions, individual shrubs may produce thousands of fruits. [5]
Ligustrum ovalifolium is used as a food plant by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including common emerald, common marbled carpet, copper underwing, the engrailed, mottled beauty, scalloped hazel, small angle shades, the V-pug and willow beauty. [4]
All parts of plant are poisonous if ingested by humans. [6]
The species is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant in many countries, as a shrub, and grouped for an informal or formal hedge. [4] [3] Privets need to be trimmed several times during a growing season, in order to maintain a formal hedge shape. Regularly trimmed plants do not produce flowers or fruit.
Ligustrum ovalifolium is the most common hedging plant species in cultivation in the United Kingdom. [7] [8]
Several cultivars are used in gardens and for hedging, including Ligustrum ovalifolium 'Aureum', the golden privet, with oval, rich yellow leaves with green centers. [9] In the UK it has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. [10] [11] With Ligustrum obtusifolium it is a parent of the hybrid Ligustrum × ibolium. [12]
Ligustrum ovalifolium 'Vicaryi', a yellow-leaved shrub, was once thought to be a hybrid between L. ovalifolium 'Aureum' and Ligustrum vulgare , for which the name Ligustrum × vicaryi was published. Studies of both chloroplast and nuclear DNA showed that L. vulgare was not involved in its parentage, both of its parents being L. ovalifolium. Accordingly, it was given a cultivar name. Its year-round yellow leaves and white flowers in midsummer make it an attractive hedging plant or ornamental shrub. [13]
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. [14] [15]
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. [16] [17] [18] 46 states have it listed on their noxious weed lists. [19]
Ligustrum means "binder". It was named by Pliny and Virgil. [20] The Latin specific epithet ovalifolium means "oval-leaved". [21]
A privet is a flowering plant in the genus Ligustrum. The genus contains about 50 species of erect, deciduous or evergreen shrubs, sometimes forming small or medium-sized trees, native to Europe, north Africa, Asia, many introduced and naturalised in Australasia, where only one species extends as a native into Queensland. Some species have become widely naturalized or invasive where introduced. Privet was originally the name for the European semi-evergreen shrub Ligustrum vulgare, and later also for the more reliably evergreen Ligustrum ovalifolium and its hybrid Ligustrum × ibolium used extensively for privacy hedging, though now the name is applied to all members of the genus. The generic name was applied by Pliny the Elder to L. vulgare. It is often suggested that the name privet is related to private, but the OED states that there is no evidence to support this.
Hibiscus syriacus is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family, Malvaceae. It is native to south-central and southeast China, but widely introduced elsewhere, including much of Asia. It was given the epithet syriacus because it had been collected from gardens in Syria. Common names include the Korean rose, rose of Sharon, Syrian ketmia, shrub althea, rose mallow. It is the national flower of South Korea and is mentioned in the South Korean national anthem.
Berberis, commonly known as barberry, is a large genus of deciduous and evergreen shrubs from 1–5 m (3.3–16.4 ft) tall, found throughout temperate and subtropical regions of the world. Species diversity is greatest in South America and Asia; Europe, Africa and North America have native species as well. The best-known Berberis species is the European barberry, Berberis vulgaris, which is common in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and central Asia, and has been widely introduced in North America. Many of the species have spines on the shoots and all along the margins of the leaves.
Echium vulgare — known as viper's bugloss and blueweed — is a species of flowering plant in the borage family Boraginaceae. It is native to most of Europe and western and central Asia, and it occurs as an introduced species in north-eastern North America. The plant root was used in ancient times as a treatment for snake or viper bites. If eaten, the plant is toxic to horses and cattle through the accumulation of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in the liver.
Weigela is a genus of between six and 38 species of deciduous shrubs in the family Caprifoliaceae, growing to 1–5 m (3–15′) tall. All are natives of eastern Asia. The genus is named after the German scientist Christian Ehrenfried Weigel.
Azara is a genus of ten species of flowering plants in the family Salicaceae, native to temperate to subtropical regions of South America. They are most often found at woodland margins and lakesides. Azara was formerly classed in the family Flacourtiaceae.
Viburnum lantana, the wayfarer or wayfaring tree, is a species of Viburnum, native to central, southern and western Europe, northwest Africa, and southwestern Asia. The vigorous deciduous European treelike shrub is common along waysides.
Ligustrum sinense is a species of privet native to China, Taiwan and Vietnam, and naturalized in Réunion, the Andaman Islands, Norfolk Island, Costa Rica, Honduras, Panamá and much of the eastern and southern United States. The name "Chinese privet" may also refer to Ligustrum lucidum.
Codiaeum variegatum is a species of plant in the genus Codiaeum, which is a member of the family Euphorbiaceae. It was described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753. It is native to Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia, and the western Pacific Ocean islands, growing in open forests and scrub.
Ligustrum lucidum, the broad-leaf privet, Chinese privetglossy privet, tree privet or wax-leaf privet, is a species of flowering plant in the olive family Oleaceae, native to the southern half of China and naturalized in many places: Spain, Italy, Algeria, Canary Islands, New Zealand, Lesotho, South Africa, Japan, Korea, Australia, Norfolk Island, Chiapas, Central America, Argentina, and the southern United States. The name "Chinese privet" is also used for Ligustrum sinense.
Ligustrum obtusifolium is a species of privet, native to Japan, Korea and northeastern China. The species is considered invasive in parts of the United States. It has become very common in southern New England, the mid-Atlantic States, and the Great Lakes regions, with scattered occurrences in the South, the Great Plains, and Washington state. With Ligustrum ovalifolium it is a parent of the widespread hybrid Ligustrum × ibolium.
Ligustrum japonicum, known as wax-leaf privet or Japanese privet is a species of Ligustrum (privet) native to central and southern Japan and Korea. It is widely cultivated in other regions, and is naturalized in California and in the southeastern United States from Texas to Virginia.
Ligustrum vulgare is a species of Ligustrum native to central and southern Europe, north Africa and southwestern Asia, from Ireland and southwestern Sweden south to Morocco, and east to Poland and northwestern Iran.
Hamamelis mollis, also known as Chinese witch hazel, is a species of flowering plant in the witch hazel family Hamamelidaceae, native to central and eastern China, in Anhui, Guangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Sichuan, and Zhejiang.
Vaccinium ovalifolium is a plant in the heath family having three varieties, all of which grow in northerly regions, including the subarctic.
Sorbaria sorbifolia, the false spiraea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Rosaceae. The common name is also spelled false spirea. Other common names include false goat's beard, sorb-leaved schizonotus, and Ural false Spirea. Chinese: 珍珠梅; pinyin: zhen zhu mei; lit. 'pearl plum'.
Illicium parviflorum, known locally as swamp star anise, is a species of flowering plant in the family Schisandraceae, or alternately, the Illiciaceae. It is native to Florida in the United States. It historically occurred in Georgia, as well, but it has been extirpated from the state. Its common names include yellow anisetree, yellow-anise, swamp star-anise, and small anise tree.
Ageratina ligustrina(privet-leaved ageratina, privet-leaved snakeroot), is Mesoamerican species of evergreen flowering shrub in the sunflower family. It is widespread across much of Mexico and Central America from Tamaulipas to Costa Rica.
Thymus pulegioides, common names broad-leaved thyme or lemon thyme, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, native to Europe. Growing to 5–25 cm (2–10 in) tall by 25 cm (10 in) wide, it is a small spreading subshrub with strongly aromatic leaves, and lilac pink flowers in early summer. The specific epithet pulegioides highlights its similarity to another species within Lamiaceae, Mentha pulegium (pennyroyal).
Ligustrum × ibolium, called the north privet or ibolium privet, is a hybrid species of flowering plant in the genus Ligustrum, the result of a cross between Ligustrum obtusifolium and Ligustrum ovalifolium. It is probably the most common privet used for hedging in the United States. It grows up to 1 m (3 ft) per year.
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