Buy Ligustrum Privet Hedge Plants for Australian Gardens

About

Ligustrum — commonly known as privet — is one of the most useful and versatile hedging genera available to Australian gardeners. With fast growth, glossy evergreen foliage, good drought tolerance once established, excellent frost hardiness, and the ability to be clipped to virtually any formal shape, privet has been a staple of Australian gardens for generations. However, not all privet species are equal — and choosing the right one for your situation is critical. Our range includes Ligustrum undulatum (Box Leaf Privet) — a non-invasive, sterile species that is safe and recommended for use throughout Australia — and Ligustrum vulgare (Common Privet / European Privet). Please read the important species information below before purchasing. Understanding Ligustrum — A Genus With a Complicated Reputation Ligustrum is a genus of approximately 40–50 species of evergreen and deciduous shrubs and small trees in the Oleaceae (olive) family, native to Europe, North Africa, and Asia. The name Ligustrum is derived from the Latin ligare, meaning 'to bind', referring to the plant's historical use in basket-weaving and binding. Common privet (Ligustrum vulgare) is one of the few Ligustrum species native to Europe, and its use as a garden hedge plant dates back to the gardens of Elizabethan England. Ligustrum's reputation in Australia is complex — and understandably so. Several privet species, particularly Ligustrum lucidum (Broad-leaf Privet), Ligustrum sinense (Chinese Privet), and Ligustrum vulgare (European Privet), have become significant environmental weeds in eastern Australia, spreading from garden plantings into bushland via bird-dispersed seeds and displacing native vegetation. This has rightly given the privet genus a cautious reputation among environmentally aware Australian gardeners. However, Ligustrum undulatum (Box Leaf Privet) is an exception. This species is sterile — it does not produce viable berries and cannot spread into bushland. It is recognised as non-invas