By Mark Czarnota
University of Georgia
In years past, at least six species of Chinese privet were used
in U.S. hedges and other landscape plantings. Native birds took
it from there, making the plant all too familiar in the Southeast.
The black berries of this plant (Ligustrum sinense) become
noticeable in late fall, and many birds relish them. In fact, our
avian friends have deposited Chinese privet all over. People will
find seedlings of it growing just about anywhere.
Chinese privet can reach heights of 20 feet. In the Southeast,
panicles of white flowers show up in mid to late spring. Most
people find the “fragrance” repulsive.
Jungles
Fortunately, young seedlings are fairly easy to remove by hand.
In unmanaged areas, however, Chinese privet grows unchecked and
can often form near-complete thickets, outcompeting most plants.
This lack of diversity in the plant population makes most
ecologists cringe. Many people are concerned about these
thickets. They’d like to see shifts to native plants that
increase biodiversity while still providing homes and food for
wildlife.
One of the best ways to get rid of privet is to burn it. A hot
fire will kill plants less than 4 feet tall, but larger ones will
usually survive. In many places, though, burning is restricted or
banned.
Choices
This leaves two other options: physical removal and herbicides.
Physical removal can be as simple as digging up the plant with a
pick and shovel. On larger plants, this can be a workout for even
the fittest of people. And in big, established thickets, removal
may require using heavy equipment.
Physical removal is immediate, but it’s very hard to get every
bit of every single plant. Like many plants, Chinese privet can
regrow from just a piece of root.
Herbicides can be used by themselves or in combination with
physical removal. Foliar products can be sprayed over-the-top. A
study reported this summer showed that 6 ounces of a product
containing at least 41 percent active glyphosate mixed with a
gallon of water provided greater than 90-percent control for at
least three years.
Combo
Applying a herbicide to cut stumps can keep privet from
regrowing, too. Products that do this well are those containing
glyphosate (Roundup and many others, with at least 41 percent
active ingredient) or triclopyr (Garlon or Brush-B-Gon).
To use either, first cut privet to the ground. Then spray the cut
stems with either a full-strength product or a half-strength
herbicide-and-water solution.
If regrowth appears, wait until the shoots are 6 to 12 inches
long and spray them with a solution of about 6 ounces of
glyphosate (41 percent active ingredient) per gallon of water.
With any postemergence herbicide, make sure the mixture doesn’t
contact desirable plants. And always read and follow label
instructions when using pesticides.
Once the privet has been removed, consider planting shrubs or
small trees that are native to the area. Some of my favorite
natives are common ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius),
common pawpaw (Asimina triloba), arrowwood viburnum
(Viburnum dentatum) and spicebush (Lindera benzoin).
(Mark Czarnota is a Cooperative Extension horticulturist with
the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and
Environmental Sciences.)
