| Privet | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Ligustrum vulgare | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Oleaceae |
| Tribe: | Oleeae |
| Subtribe: | Ligustrinae |
| Genus: | Ligustrum L. |
| Species | |
See text | |
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Aprivet is aflowering plant in thegenusLigustrum. The genus contains about 50species of erect, deciduous or evergreen shrubs or trees,[1] with a native distribution from Europe to tropical and subtropical Asia, and with one species each native to Australia and north Africa.[2][3] Some species have become widely naturalized or invasive where introduced.Privet was originally the name for the European semi-evergreen shrubLigustrum vulgare, and later also for the more reliably evergreenLigustrum ovalifolium and its hybridLigustrum × ibolium used extensively for privacy hedging, though now the name is applied to all members of the genus.[4] The generic name was applied byPliny the Elder (23–79 AD) toL. vulgare.[5] It is often suggested that the nameprivet is related toprivate, but the Oxford English Dictionary states that there is no evidence to support this.[6]
Privet is a group of shrubs and small trees of southern and eastern Asia, from the Himalayas extending into Australia. They may be evergreen or deciduous, and are tolerant of different soil types. They often have conspicuous heads of white flowers[7] followed by black berries.
In addition to being cultivated to create ornamental hedges andfoliage, privet is also widely used in horticulture and flower arrangements.[8] The oval leaf privetLigustrum ovalifolium is used for hedges, while its flexible twigs are sometimes used as cords forlashing.[8] The tree species, especiallyChinese privet is frequently used as a street tree in Europe, while other species includingLigustrum japonicum andLigustrum quihoui are among the others also sometimes used asornamental plants in gardens.[9]Privet became very popular in Britain as a replacement for ornamental railings around properties, which had been lost to the 1941 U.K. government's requisitioning of, with few exceptions, all post-1850 iron gates and railings for the war effort.[10] The government had the intention of melting down the donated metal for use in the manufacture of armaments in WWII, although it is not certain how much of the metal was actually used.[11] The remaining stubs of sawn-off railings can still be seen on many garden walls in the UK, often partly obscured by privet bushes.
Chinese privet is used in traditional herbal medicine.[12] The decoction of privet leaves or bark helps to treat diarrhea, stomach ulcers, chronic bowel problems, chapped lips, sore mouths and throats, and a wash for skin problems.[12] Privet leaves and bark have bitter properties that make a useful tea for improving appetite and digestion in chemotherapy patients.[12]Kuding is a Chinese tea made from either aLigustrum orIlex species.
Some species produce a fruit, which is mildly toxic to humans.[8][13] Symptoms from eating privet fruit include nausea, headache, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, low blood pressure, and low body temperature.[8] At least some privet species are known to be toxic to horses.[14]
A plant may produce thousands of fruits, most of which are eaten by birds.Privet is used as a food plant by the larvae of some moth species including thecommon emerald,common marbled carpet,copper underwing,engrailed,mottled beauty,scalloped hazel,small angle shades,v-pug,privet hawk moth andwillow beauty.
Privet is a successful invasive species because of its ability to outcompete and therefore displace native vegetation, due to its adaptability. Various species are now a problem in North America, Australia and New Zealand.
As of April 2025[update]Plants of the World Online lists 46 accepted species ofLigustrum.[1]
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