Privet? Mystery shrub in my garden

Question

I have another mystery shrub that's popped up in my flower garden this past few years. I've left it alone until I find out what it is... I may want to transplant it. It has small, evergreen leaves similar to a boxwood.

Sheila E · Answer

Looks like a variety of viburnum. My chindo has flowers like that but not as bright white.

Linda Hinchey · Answer

Is yours an evergreen? Are the leave small like a boxwood?

Eva · Answer

Looks like some kind of Jasmine.

Sheila E · Answer

My chindo is evergreen, but the leaves are not small. Viburnum Chindo isn't a common variety though, at least not around here. The leaves are bigger and it grows taller than most if not cut/pruned. Are your leaves tiny? They don't look it in the picture. If you think it looks more like a boxwood, maybe it is since there are varieties that flower.

Sunush · Answer

It may be Japanese privet.

Deborah Dennison · Answer

Looks like a ligustrum. It is used as
 a hedge everywhere in central and south Florida.

Julie Stanhope · Answer

I think it's called a Privet bush. We have a lot of it growing wild here in Tennessee. It has a wonderful fragrance!

Linda Hinchey · Answer

I've looked up the Japanese Privet (Ligustrum) and that has to be it!!! It's identical! I live in SW Virginia, close to TN and part of our property is mountain woodlands. It actually popped up in a cement container and the last three years I've been clipping it like a topiary. This is the first year it's bloomed. I thought it was a boxwood! I really love it! Thank you all!

Patty S · Answer

It looks like a Hydrangea

Sunush · Answer

Linda, I recetly planted a 15 gal japanese privet. It is supposed to grow into a tree with a beautiful canopy. It is said to be least maintenance and flowers one month a yr. So this must be the season.

Linda Hinchey · Answer

Do you think I should remove it from the cement container that it popped up in? I wonder if it would make it as a bonsai in the cement pot? I have it clipped like a topiary now.

Tricia · Answer

Ligustrum...esp if those flowers are very fragrant

Sunush · Answer

I planted mine on the ground. The nursery guy told me that it will grow to 30 ft.

Linda Hinchey · Answer

I see that it's invasive in many states. It's not for mine, but I've noticed they are all along the roads along the rural mountains in our county. Which may be why one popped up in my flower garden. Maybe if I keep this one trimmed back and take off the blooms before they fruit.

Ellen Knox · Answer

In southern California, privet trees grow like weeds.  They are planted up and down my street and they bloom with thousands of tiny flowers and then develop berries.  The dropped flowers cover everything and dry to an ugly brown mess.  Many people are allergic to the dropped flowers and pollen.  Once the berries fall, they grow all over.  I spend weeks every summer first sweeping up the flowers, then the berries.  Later on I spend hours each week pulling up the seedlings.  We removed the tree in our yard, but the city planted them on the right of way up and down our street.  We have to leave our home for several weeks each summer because the allergies to the tree make my husband so sick.  Now that we are retired, we may move out of our neighborhood just to get away from the trees!  They are lovely to look at, though.

Linda Hinchey · Answer

I've used several plant id apps and they all say privet. After discovering how invasive they are, I killed it. Thanks all for your help!

Privet? Mystery shrub in my garden

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Privet? Mystery shrub in my garden

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