Privet: expert tips on planting, pruning, etc.

Evergreen privet is a popular privacy screen in home gardens. We show you what to consider when planting, pruning and caring for this plant.

If you are looking for a low-maintenance and durable privacy screen, privet (Ligustrum) is the right choice. The plant makes a beautiful hedge and is an excellent alternative to plastic or wooden privacy screens.

Fortunately, privet requires little effort. And yet it has more to offer than meets the eye. In summer it shows its fragrant white flowers and in autumn and winter it presents shiny black berries. If you want, you can even try your hand at being an artist with privet, because the plant can be pruned into a wide variety of shapes. Whether as a sleek hedge, an artistic form, as a bonsai or even as a wild shrub – privet can be used in many ways.

Privet: origin and properties

Privet is a widespread genus of the olive family (Oleaceae), and individual species are often native to Japan or China. Only one species is native to Europe, the common privet (Ligustrum vulgare). Privet is an evergreen or semi-evergreen shrub or tree. For a long time, the plant has been established as an ornamental plant in European gardens. Its good pruning tolerance has helped it to become widely used as a garden hedge. Between June and August, it also produces white and often fragrant flowers that attract numerous native butterflies, bees and fly species. The berries that appear afterwards are no less popular. In winter, birds can often be observed on privet hedges.

Privet species

With over 40 species, privet is very versatile. In north European countries, semi-evergreen species in particular are used as ornamental plants – these lose their leaves only in very cold winters and therefore also provide sufficient privacy. Important species include common privet (Ligustrum vulgare) or oval-leaved privet (Ligustrum ovalifolium).

You can learn more about the different privet species and varieties as well as possible uses here.

Planting privet

When planting privet, the most important thing is to maintain the planting distance. There should never be more than three plants per linear metre in a hedge. Once the young plants are in the ground, they first need a sufficient water supply until they are properly rooted.

More information about planting privet can be found here.

Propagation

Privet propagation is rather uncomplicated since there are three options to choose from: in spring via cuttings and in summer via offshoots, the last method being somewhat more complex.

You’ll learn how to grow your own privet hedge in detail here.

Plant care

Privet is quite unpretentious, which makes it a low-maintenance addition to the garden. Pruning is the only thing that requires your attention and should be done at least once a year.

Watering

Privet plants are still very needy immediately after planting as their root system is not yet fully developed. This means they are not yet able to absorb water from the wider environment. You should therefore water freshly planted or young plants regularly so that they can grow. Older specimens mainly need a lot of drought and a little water now and then. However, too much water and waterlogging should be avoided, as this can lead to root rot.

Pruning privet hedges

Privet is very pruning tolerant. This makes trimming your privet into a beautiful, dense hedge or even a sphere or pyramid relatively simple. Pruning should be done twice a year to promote branching. The ideal time to do this is in early spring or early October. In the case of an infestation, radical pruning is also possible.

Here, you can find out everything you need to know about pruning privet.

Fertilising privet hedges

Slow-release fertilisation in March or April is sufficient. It is best to use a long-term fertiliser such as our Plantura All Purpose Plant Food. Alternatively, compost or manure are also suitable. Once incorporated into the soil, a single application should last until the next year. Mineral fertilisation, on the other hand, unfortunately, is not so long-lasting. Here, a second application is recommended in early August.

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Common diseases and pests

Privet is an extremely hardy plant. It is very rarely afflicted by diseases or pests, and even then, these usually do not because any long-term damage.

Common pests and diseases of privet:

• Leaf spot diseases: These are caused by different types of fungi. The most common pathogens here come from the Ascochyta, Septoria, Colletotrichum and Phyllosticta genera. The fungus Cercrospora ligustri is also often found on privet. You can easily identify a leaf spot disease infestation from irregular spots scattered on the leaves. However, distinguishing between the different pathogens is a real challenge. Most of these troublesome fungi particularly like to settle in high humidity. So a leaf spot disease infestation should not be a problem in dry or windy locations.
• Root rot: Waterlogging can because root rot, which can only be prevented by choosing the right location. When planting privet, make sure that not to put the plant in the ground where the puddles collect during rainfall. If the soil is particularly impermeable to water, you should mix some sand into the soil before planting or even create drainage by means of gravel.
• Privet leaf aphid (Myzus ligustri): As a result of infestation, leaves curl, turn yellow and eventually fall off. Vigorous pruning is usually helpful here.
• Powdery mildew (Microsphaera penicillata): This dreaded fungus may occur in rare cases, but does not because further damage. It does not appear until late summer and can be recognised by a whitish coating on the leaves.

All in all, however, privet is very hardy and copes with most diseases and pests well by itself.

Privet hawkmoth

In isolated cases, the caterpillar of the privet hawkmoth (Sphinx ligustri) can also be detected on privet. The caterpillar of this large moth is bright green with distinctive markings and a kind of spike at the rear end. However, you can find out why their presence is not a because for concern, even though they look so huge, in our special article on privet hawkmoths.

Is privet poisonous?

Privet is only slightly poisonous. However, you should still be a little cautious because even though many birds benefit from the berries in the winter, they can because symptoms of poisoning in humans. This also means that not every animal can eat from it without consequences.