Ligustrum japonicum
Common name:
Japanese Privet,
Waxleaf Privet
Pronunciation:
li-GUS-trum ja-PON-i-kum
Family:
Oleaceae
Genus:
Type:
Broadleaf
Native to (or naturalized in) Oregon:
No
- Broadleaf evergreen shrub (can be grown as a small tree) 6-12+ ft (2-4+ m) high to 6-8 ft (2-2.5 m) wide, dense, upright. Stem squarish, dotted with light gray lenticels. Leaves opposite, simple, entire, lustrous dark green, almost black green, leathery, broad-ovate to ovate-oblong, 4-10 cm long, usually rounded at base, margin and midrib often reddish. Flowers perfect, creamy white, fragrant, in 5-15 cm long terminal clusters, in mid-summer. Fruit black, 6 mm diam., in early fall and may be held over the winter.
- Sun or shade. Partial shade is suggested to maintain good leaf color. Highly adaptable to varied soils, except extremely wet; salt tolerant. Makes an excellent hedge plant.
- Hardy to USDA Zone 7 Native to Japan and Korea. Several cultivars, in the west the most common form is ‘Texanum’, it is shorter 8-10 ft × 4-6 ft (2.4-3 m × 1.2-2.5 m) and more dense than the species. A variegated cultivar, 'Silver Star' is also available.
- Ligustrum: classical Latin name for the European species (L. vulgare)
- Oregon State Univ. campus: along the south wall of Nash Hall