Ligustrum lucidum

Common Name: glossy privet

Family: Oleaceae

Common Synonyms: none

USDA Hardiness Zone: 8a-10b

Growth Habit: Evergreen shrub or small tree

Origin: China

FISC Category: 1

FDACS Listed Noxious Weed: No

Introduction Date: Earliest Florida herbarium specimen vouchered in 1936

IFAS Assessment:

  • North: CAUTION
  • Central: CAUTION
  • South: CAUTION
White clusters of pyramidal flowers
Brenda Herring
Bluish-black fruits
Brenda Herring

Description

Evergreen shrub or tree to 10 m tall, but typically smaller, with a dense, rounded crown and glabrous twigs with corky lenticels. Leaves opposite, simple, leathery, ovate to elliptic, to 15 cm long by 6 cm wide, glossy dark green above, margins entire, with a thin translucent vein often visible when held up to light, bases rounded to broadly wedge shaped, tips narrowing to a sharp point, leaves often V-shaped (as if folded lengthwise down the middle). Flowers small, white, fragrant, bisexual, numerous, in pyramidal clusters at branch tips. Corolla tube to 3 mm, equaling or shorter than the corolla lobes, stamens exerted beyond corolla. Fruit a persistent, globose to oblong, blackish-purple drupe, to 8 mm long.

Habitat

Hammock and hardwood forest

Comments

When digging up plants, the entire root system must be removed to prevent resprouting. Seeds dispersed by birds.

Map of species distribution

Control Methods

  • Manual: Mechanical: Mowing and cutting, physical control such as seedling removal and burning.
  • Chemical: Foliar in late autumn or early spring when many native species are dormant (2% triclopyr amine), basal bark or cut stump (15%-20% triclopyr ester or undiluted Pathfinder II).
  • Biological: NA

Control Notes

NA

References

Dave's Garden. 2014. PlantFiles: Ligustrum lucidum. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/78040/. Accessed on June 20, 2014.

Langeland, K.A., H.M. Cherry, C.M. McCormick, K.C. Burks. 2008. Identification and Biology of Non-Native Plants in Florida's Natural Areas-Second Edition. IFAS Publication SP 257. University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.

Langeland, K.A., J.A. Ferrell, B. Sellers, G.E. MacDonald, and R.K. Stocker. 2011. Integrated management of non-native plants in natural areas of Florida. EDIS publication SP 242. University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.

Wunderlin, R. P., and B. F. Hansen. 2008. Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants (http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/).[S. M. Landry and K. N. Campbell (application development), Florida Center for Community Design and Research.] Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

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