Ligustrum obtusifolium Seeds | Border Privet

Small, black, oval Border Privet seeds with a finely wrinkled coat, on a plain background — Border Privet (*Ligustrum obtusifolium*): Oleaceae, native to the thickets of Japan, Korea and eastern China.

LATIN NAME: Ligustrum obtusifolium

COMMON NAME: Border Privet

Plant Profile

Border Privet is a dense, deciduous shrub of the olive family, two to three metres tall, with opposite, oval leaves that are slightly hairy beneath and small, white, strongly scented flowers in midsummer. Its berries are black, round and persistent, and they hang in clusters through the winter after the leaves have gone.

It comes from the thickets of Japan, Korea and eastern China, and it has been grown as a hedge plant for centuries in Japan, where it is one of the species used in clipped garden hedges. In North America it has escaped cultivation and is listed as invasive in several states. The leaves turn a dull yellow before they fall, and the dense twiggy growth gives the shrub its value as a screen.

Science & Biotechnology

The species is one of the many privets that have been moved around the world as hedging, and its taxonomy is complicated by hybridisation with Ligustrum sinense and Ligustrum vulgare where they meet. Its leaves are hairy beneath, which separates it from the smooth-leaved common privet.

Its berries contain ligustrin and other iridoid glycosides, and they are mildly toxic to people, though birds eat them without harm and spread the seed widely. That combination of toxic fruit and effective bird dispersal is what makes the plant such a successful colonist of hedgerows and woodland edges.

Uses & Benefits

It is grown as a hedge and a screen, and it is one of the best shrubs for a tight, formal hedge in a cold climate: it clips well, grows quickly and tolerates poor soil and pollution. In Japan it is clipped into the low, rounded hedges of traditional gardens.

The berries are not for eating, and the plant should be kept away from livestock. In regions where it is invasive, it is better replaced by a native hedge mix, since its seedlings appear in woodland and outcompete the ground flora. It also tolerates coastal wind and urban pollution, which is why it is common in city gardens.

Growing from Seed

Sow in autumn in a pot of loamy compost, cover lightly, and leave it outside for the winter; cold, moist conditions improve germination. Sow thinly, since the seed is usually viable and the seedlings are vigorous.

Plant out in sun or part shade in any well-drained soil, and water until established. For a hedge, plant 45 cm apart and clip in early summer and again in late summer, cutting back to a slightly wider base than top so that the hedge keeps its shape. The shrub responds well to hard pruning, even into old wood. Water newly planted hedges in dry spells for the first two summers, since the plants compete for moisture.

Our Take

A first-rate hedge plant and a poor neighbour in the wild, since its seedlings travel. Clip it twice a year, keep it out of woodland, and it will make the neatest boundary in the garden.

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