Border Privet
Border Privet, Lingustrum obtusifolium, fruit, Photo by Lower Hudson PRISM
Additional Images
Common Name: Border privet
Scientific Name: Ligustrum obtusifolium
Origin: China and Japan
Description
Border privet is a deciduous shrub that may grow to be 20 ft. tall. Its leaves are opposite, have smooth margins, and can vary in shape from oval to oblong. Some shrubs may have short, thorny twigs protruding from the branches. Privet produces clusters of small, white, trumpet-shaped flowers at the tips of the branches. Its berries turn black when they ripen and remain on the plant into winter.
Habitat
Border privet grows in human-dominated areas such as abandoned fields and roadsides, and will also invade forest margins, canopy openings in forests, stream edges and floodplains.
Threat
Privet forms dense thickets, shading out native plants. It also displaces native shrubs and seedlings in regenerating forests.
Management
Smaller shrubs can be pulled by hand. Larger shrubs can be treated with herbicide using cut-stump, foliar, or basal bark applications.
Regional Distribution
Common
WNY PRISM Priority
Tier 4 – Local Control
Invasive Species Priorities – Tier Chart
Border privet is a prohibited species in New York State – for more information on Prohibited and Regulated Species, visit http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/99141.html.
Pathways
Border privet seeds are primarily dispersed by birds.
This map shows confirmed observations (green points) submitted to the NYS Invasive Species Database. Absence of data does not necessarily mean absence of the species at that site, but that it has not been reported there. For more information, please visit iMapInvasives.
