🌿 Morphology
🌞 Growing conditions
🌍 Origin and family
🌾 Uses
Warning: Despite the care taken in writing this sheet, it is essential to cross-reference sources before using or consuming any plant. When in doubt, consult a qualified professional
Permaculture uses
Common privet is used for hedging, windbreaks, and erosion control. The berries are sometimes used to make dye, though they are poisonous if ingested in large quantities. It provides habitat and food for wildlife. The flowers attract pollinators. Some cultivars, like 'Aureum' (golden privet), are used for ornamental purposes.
Permapeople description
Privet is a semi-evergreen shrub widely used for hedging. It produces fragrant white flowers and black berries that are toxic to humans.
Botanical description
Ligustrum vulgare is a semi-evergreen shrub or small tree typically reaching 1 to 5 meters (3 to 16 feet) in height. The leaves are opposite, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, 2 to 6 cm (0.8 to 2.4 inches) long and 0.5 to 1.5 cm (0.2 to 0.6 inches) broad. The flowers are white, small, and fragrant, produced in dense panicles 4 to 6 cm (1.6 to 2.4 inches) long. The fruit is a small, glossy black berry 6 to 8 mm (0.24 to 0.31 inches) in diameter and contains one to four seeds. It is native to Europe, North Africa and Southwestern Asia, from Ireland and Southwestern Sweden south to Morocco, and east to Poland and Northwestern Iran.
Companion planting
No well-documented beneficial companion planting relationships are specifically noted for Ligustrum vulgare. However, its dense growth can provide shelter for other plants. Due to its potentially invasive nature, it should be carefully considered when planting near sensitive ecosystems.
Propagation methods
Propagation is typically done by seed sowing in autumn or spring. Cuttings, both hardwood and softwood, can also be used with varying degrees of success. Layering is another possible method. Root suckers can be divided and transplanted.
History and traditions
Common privet has been used traditionally for hedging and boundary marking in Europe for centuries. The wood has been used for small tools and implements. It has also been used in traditional medicine for various ailments, though its toxicity limits its uses. In folklore, privet was sometimes associated with protection and warding off evil.
Usage calendar
Flowering occurs in June and July. Berries ripen in autumn, typically September to October. Seed sowing is best in autumn or early spring. Cuttings can be taken in late spring or summer (softwood) or in late autumn or winter (hardwood). Pruning is best done in late winter or early spring to maintain shape and size.