European privet seeds

Habitat

native to Europe and northern Africa
hardy to zone 4
this species is widely naturalized throughout the eastern half of the United States
Special Note: This species has demonstrated an invasive tendency in Connecticut, meaning it may escape from cultivation and naturalize in minimally managed areas. For more information, Click Here.
Habit and Form

a medium sized deciduous shrub
stout multibranched shrub
12′ to 15′ tall
equal width
coarse texture
fast growth rate

Summer Foliage

simple, deciduous leaves
opposite leaf arrangement
lanceolate leaf shape
1″ to 2.5″ long
smooth leaf margins
dark green leaf color

Autumn Foliage

leaves turn purplish
not showy
Flowers

white, terminal panicles
strong odor
blooms in mid-June
1″ to 3″ long

Fruit

black fruit
0.33″ drupe
ripens in early September
persists
Bark

thin stems
gray-brown bark color
smooth
Culture

transplants easily
extremely adaptable
full sun to partial shade
prune after flowering
Landscape Use

screen
border
hedge
foundation planting
Liabilities

anthracnose twig blight
canker
powdery mildew
leaf spot
aphids, leaf miners, mites and whiteflies
ID Features

white fragrant flowers
black fruit
opposite leaf arrangement
glossy entire leaves
leaves have waxy appearance
lenticels
light brown bark
Propagation

by cuttings
by seed
Cultivars/Varieties

‘Cheyenne’ – Marketed as the hardiest form, this plant still may fail in USDA zone 4 or colder. It retains its leaves late into the season.

‘Densiflorum’ – This plant maintains an upright form without pruning, making it suitable hedge material.

‘Lodense’ – A dwarf, compact plant, this cultivar only reaches 5′ tall after many years. Observers have reported, however, that it is plagued by an incurable disease.

‘Pyramidale’ – As this cultivar assumes a somewhat pyramidal habit, it is commonly used as a hedge plant.