Privet – Ligustrum vulgare (Potted)

Description

The wild privet is a robust and versatile plant as it can be a deciduous or evergreen shrub or small tree. Standing at 5 meters when fully grown with thin shiny leaves in a darkened shade of green, it is not a striking plant when alone. This plant will grow small groups of unpleasantly smelling white flowers between spring and summer and dark clusters of berries in the winter months. However it is not wise to consume the berries or any part of this plant as the privet is extremely poisonous to humans when ingested.

The wild privet does have some drawbacks but when planted together in rows, they will form a large thicket of hedging which small birds such as thrushes will be attracted to as the plant is not poisonous to the birds.