Hedge Privet

Oleaceae

LIFE FORM: Shrub

NATIVITY: Europe

VEGETATIVE CHARACTERISTICS:

10-15 feet tall; dark green leaves.

FLOWERS:

White flowers in late spring/early summer.

FRUIT/DISPERSAL AGENTS:

Blackish, berry-like fruit dispersed by birds; readily resprouts after injury to form clumps of stems.

ECOLOGICAL PREFERENCE:

Escapes from hedge plantings; shade and drought tolerant. Prefers woodlands that develop on abandoned open space; riverbanks; chain-link fence lines

ENVIRONMENTAL FUNCTION:

Tolerant of severe pruning; salt tolerance along roadways; drought tolerance on compacted soils; food and/or habitat for wildlife; erosion control on slopes.

CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE:

Widely cultivated as a medium to tall, deciduous hedge in urban areas. Introduced as an ornamental species. Invasive species in minimally managed habitats.