Privet - Border & Chinese

Border Privet & Chinese Privet

Border Privet and Chinese privet (Ligustrum spp.) are both native to different regions of eastern Asia and were brought to the U.S. for its ornamental value and use as a hedge plant. Their leaves are smooth and arranged oppositely along their stem. Border and Chinese privet both have clusters of showy white flowers and blueish-purple berries. Privet can grow in both sunny and shady conditions and can spread by seed and rhizomes, which allow it to quickly take over an area forming dense thickets. It can get upwards of sixteen feet tall allowing it to shade out native plants, especially in forest understories.  

Keys To Success

The best method to manage privet is to cut the stems to the ground and paint the stumps with systemic herbicide. For smaller plants, digging them out and making sure to get as much of the roots as possible, is best. When removing branches with berries, make sure to collect any berries that have fallen onto the ground so that the seeds within them do not have a chance to germinate. Monitor for regrowth and reapply the herbicide following the instructions on the label.