Ligustrum Sinense or Chinese Privet

Ligustrum Sinense or Chinese Privet
A deciduous variety of privet, Ligustrum Sinense, also known as Chinese Privet, is prized for its free-flowering habit and toughness. A shrub with a spreading habit and elegant arching branches, this cultivar looks good when grown on its own or planted en masse. The small, oblong leaves keep their medium-green color for the better part of the year and make an ideal backdrop for the profusion of blossoms this shrub produces in midsummer. The tiny white flowers are borne in panicles and are followed by small, black, round fruits. While Chinese Privet can be toxic to other animals, birds will happily (and safely) feast on the fruits of this shrub.

Height and Spread of Ligustrum Sinense
A fast-growing deciduous shrub with a spreading habit, Chinese Privet can easily reach its ultimate height and spread of up to 7 metres.

How Hardy is Ligustrum Sinense
Fully hardy in the United Kingdom, this deciduous shrub is often labeled as indestructible due to its exceptional resilience and minimal care requirements.

How To Use Ligustrum Sinense
Ligustrum Sinense is a hardy, deciduous shrub that responds well to pruning, and as such, it is ideally suited for hedging. It grows fast so you will not have to wait for long to create a privacy screen or a barrier in your garden, and you can freely shape it and trim it to your liking. The summer flowers add interest and enhance the medium green foliage, whereas the fruits that follow offer sustenance to various birds. Alternatively, you can grow this cultivar on its own, as a large isolated shrub or in mixed shrub borders.

How To Care For Ligustrum Sinense
Easy to care for and grow, Chinese Privet does not need much to be happy in your garden. It prefers a south or west facing position in the garden, in full sun to dappled shade, and will do best in moist but well-drained soil. Prune to keep growth under control and to shape ideally in early spring.