Ligustrum ovalifolium
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Ligustrum ovalifolium California privet Oval-leaved privet |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Oleaceae |
| Tribe: | Oleeae |
| Genus: | Ligustrum |
| Species: | L. ovalifolium |
| Binomial name | |
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Ligustrum ovalifolium Hassk. |
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Ligustrum ovalifolium, also known as Korean privet,California privet, garden privet, and oval-leaved privet, is a shrub in the privet genus Ligustrum.
The species is native to Japan and Korea. It is occasionally known as Japanese privet, but is not to be confused with Ligustrum japonicum which is predominantly called by that common name.
Ligustrum ovalifolium is a dense, fast-growing, deciduous (evergreen/semi-evergreen in warm winter areas) shrub. It grows to 10–15 feet (3.0–4.6 m) tall and wide. It has a thick, fleshy leaf that is green on the top, and greenish-yellow on the underside.
It flowers in midsummer, the abundant white blooms producing a unique pungent fragrance, unpleasant to some. They are borne in panicles. They have four curled-back petals and two high stamens with yellow or red anthers, between which is the low pistil; the petals and stamens fall off after the flower is fertilized, leaving the pistil in the calyx tube. Flowering starts after 330 growing degree days.
The fruits, borne in clusters, are small purple to black drupes, poisonous for humans but readily eaten by many birds. In favorable growing conditions, individual shrubs may produce thousands of fruits.
Ligustrum ovalifolium is used as a food plant by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Common emerald, Common marbled carpet, Copper underwing, The Engrailed, Mottled beauty, Scalloped hazel, Small angle shades, The V-pug and Willow beauty.
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Wikipedia