Virginia Tech Dendrology

Chinese privet Oleaceae Ligustrum sinense Lour. symbol: LISI
Leaf: Opposite, simple, semi-evergreen, oblong, wedge shaped base, short petiole, entire margins, dark green, 1 to 2 inches long, 0.5 inches wide, closely spaced along twig; midvein typically fuzzy on underside.
Flower: Tall, loose, spike like panicles (2 to 4 inches long) of very fragrant small white flowers; anthers extend beyond end of petals; fuzzed portion of corolla about same length (or shorter) as petals; appear on nearly leafless lateral branches and on terminal twigs in late spring.
Fruit: Shiny blue-black drupe often with a white waxy bloom, 1/4 inch across, ripen in fall and persist through winter.
Twig: Slender, fuzzy, grey brown, very small buds; often many, opposite thorn like dead twigs persist.
Bark: Smooth gray-brown, numerous lighter, horizontal lenticels.
Form: A large shrub to small tree up to 20 feet tall typically with numerous stems.
Looks like: common privet - border privet - Japanese privet - Amur privet

Additional Range Information: Ligustrum sinense is planted in the USDA hardiness zones shown above and may seed into the landscape. Download the full-size PDF map.
External Links: USDAFS FEIS Silvics - USDA Plants Database
All material © 2021 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information