Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Asterids: Lamiids: Lamiales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Ligustrum vulgare
FAMILY
Oleaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Check out EDDMapS.org to see where this has been reported.
Read more about European Privet at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Ligustrum vulgare
FAMILY
Oleaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Ligustrum vulgare
COMMON NAME:
European Privet, Common Privet
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913 pnd_livu_001_lvd
)
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / US Forest Service pnd_livu_003_lvd
)
Mark Frey, The Presidio Trust , Bugwood.org bug_1562044
March?
)
Nava Tabak, Invasive Plant Atlas of New England, Bugwood.org bug_5078032
Month Unknown
Leaves elliptic-lanceolate to elliptic-ovate, apex obtuse to acute, per Weakley's Flora (2012).
)
Steve Hurst, USDA NRCS PLANTS Database, Bugwood.org bug_5307094
Month Unknown
)
Robert Vidéki, Doronicum Kft., Bugwood.org bug_5396159
Month Unknown Hungary
Flowers of a heavy objectionable odor, in dense terminal 1-3" panicles, per Manual of Woody Landscape Plants (Dirr, 1975+).
)
Robert Vidéki, Doronicum Kft., Bugwood.org bug_5397687
Month Unknown Hungary
Fruit a lustrous black 1/3" berry-like drupe which persists thru March+, per Manual of Woody Landscape Plants (Dirr, 1975+).
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Ligustrum vulgare
FAMILY
Oleaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Ligustrum vulgare
FAMILY
Oleaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Ligustrum vulgare
832
Shrub; Tree
Perennial
Habitat: Disturbed places, per Weakley's Flora
Non-native: Europe & northern Africa
Rare
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
This plant is causing problems in natural areas outside its native range, according to authorities such as:
- Brooklyn Botanic Garden
- Kentucky Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2013
- SC Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2014
- SC Native Plant Society
- Tennessee Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2009
- US Fish & Wildlife Service
- US Forest Service Southern Research Station
LEAVES:
Semi-evergreen
Simple
Opposite, or rarely alternate
FLOWER:
Spring/Summer
White/Cream
Radially symmetrical
4-merous
Synsepalous calyx, lobes obsolete or almost obsolete
4-lobed funnelform corolla
2 stamens
Superior ovary
Bisexual
Inflorescence a many-flowered terminal panicle
FRUIT:
Winter/Spring/Summer/Fall
Blue/Black
Drupe
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- Invasive Plants, Guide to Identification, Impacts and Control (Kaufman & Kaufman, 2007) p086
- A Field Guide for the Identification of Invasive Plants in Southern Forests (Miller, Chambliss, & Lowenstein, 2010) p034
- Newcomb's Wildflower Guide (Newcomb, 1977) p164
- Trees of the Southeastern United States (Duncan & Duncan, 1988) p097
- Woody Plants of the Southeastern US: A Winter Guide (Lance, 2004) p192
If a search such as "Carex leptalea var. leptalea" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "Carex leptalea".
Or, to minimize chances of a misspelling, try just "Carex le".
Less is more: If "pencil flower" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "pencil".