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Privet – Another old favorite that’s invasive!

Author: Bob Campbell

May 28, 2025

privet hedge

Privet hedge

Privet (Ligustrum vulgare and related subspecies) has long been a widely used landscape plant, often for hedges. Privets dense growth, which makes it good for hedges, also causes it to crowd out native plants in woodland and other natural settings.  Like so many other imported species, privet can become invasive in fields, along roadways, streams, trails and utility right-of-way, in addition to woodlands. Like many of the invasives already discussed in this newsletter—wintercreeper, Asian bush honeysuckle, myrtle and English Ivy, Privet also forms large, dense stands excluding native plants, thus diminishing plant and wildlife diversity.

Privet, like many of the other Central Ohio invasive plant species, was brought to the U.S. in the mid 1800s from China, Europe and North Africa. Privet thrives in full sun and tolerates shade and a variety of soil types, so is very adaptable to different sites.  Similar to honeysuckle and other invasive shrubs, privet leaves come out early in the spring before native shrubs, and remain into early winter, giving it a competitive advantage for sunlight. Seeds are dispersed primarily by birds.

privet flowers

Privet flowers

Description:
Privets are deciduous to semi-evergreen, multi-stemmed shrubs reaching up to 16 feet in height, with stems as large as 10 inches in diameter! Leaves are small, about 1-2 inches, with smooth edges and opposite, at right angles to the stem. Bark is brownish-gray to gray, slightly rough with light dots.  Branches also have spurs or sharp, pointed branches. Flowers appear in May to June, and are small, fragrant and white. The fruit appear first as pale green, and ripen to purplish-black in late fall, remaining into winter.

Control:
Privet is controlled by similar methods as many other Central Ohio invasive plants:  mechanical, physically removing or cutting the plant, and herbicide treatment.   Regardless of the method used, the control area needs to be monitored for several years for stump and root regrowth, along with germination of new seedlings.

Privet in autumn

Credit: Penn St Extension, Dave Jackson

Mechanical Control:
Privet, like honeysuckle is shallow rooted and smaller plants can easily be pulled or dug, especially in spring or other times when the soil is damp.  And like honeysuckle it’s important that all the roots are removed, as any remaining root fragments can re-grow..

Cutting is also effective but takes several years.  Ideally the shrub is cut as close to the ground as possible, in early summer, when food reserves are lowest.  This needs to be done multiple times over several years.  A single cutting alone will only result in massive resprouting!

Herbicide treatment:
Larger shrubs or areas with many privet are best controlled using herbicides to kill the root system and the entire plant.  There are several methods which use herbicide:  foliar (leaf) spraying; basal bark spraying; and cut-stump treatment.

Foliar spraying:  Spraying privet leaves is best done from mid-April until late September, when plants are actively growing.  More recent guidance for treating privet by foliar spraying recommend using triclopyr salt or ester formulations, or glyphosate mixed with triclopyr.  Other effective herbicides for privet foliar treatment include 2,4-D with triclopyr, imazapyr and dicamba, available under many different brand names.

Foliar spraying is best done when shrubs are waist high or smaller.  All the leaves need to be wetted but not to the point of run-off.  Spraying taller shrubs will pose increased herbicide exposure to the applicator, and more spray drift to other desirable plants.  Shrubs can be cut below waist height, then the regrowth foliage sprayed at a later time. Like many other invasive plants, privet leaves come out earlier and remain longer, into late fall and winter, so spraying after the first frost in early winter reduces exposure to native plants, most of which are dormant then.  And care should be taken along streams and other waterways, using herbicides labeled for aquatic use.

Cut-stump herbicide treatment:  In this method, the privet is cut close to the ground, and concentrated herbicide is painted or sprayed on the stump immediately after cutting.  When using water-based herbicides such as glyphosate, the outer third of the stump should be treated within minutes.  Cut-stump treatment with glyphosate is best done from mid-May through November.

Oil-based herbicides recommended for privet cut-stump treatment are triclopyr ester formulations, such as Pathfinder II, which is pre-mixed and ready to use.  These can be applied at a later date after cutting  However, oil-based treatment need to cover the entire surface and sides of each stump.  Cut-stump treatment can be done any time of year when the stump is not frozen but is less effective between mid-March and mid-May.

Basal-bark spraying:  Another option for larger privet, which is done without cutting the shrub, employs spraying oil-based herbicide to the lower 18 inches of the stems.  The stems should all be wet but not to the point of run-off.  However, privet often grows with many stems, forming a dense cluster which makes it hard to reach all the surfaces of the stems. The recommended herbicide type for basal bark spraying is also a triclopyr ester formulation as described above for cut-stump treatment.  Basal bark spraying, like cut-stump treatment, can be done anytime of the year when above freezing, but can also be less effective from mid-March to mid-May.

ALL HERBICIDE TREATMENTS SHOULD FOLLOW THE LABEL ON THE PRODUCT EXACTLY TO ENSURE USER SAFETY IN MIXING AND APPLYING THESE CHEMICALS, TO IMPROVE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE TREATMENT AND MINIMIZE DAMAGE TO THE ENVIRONMENT.

Also note, that some oil-based herbicides for basal or cut-stump treatment can be mixed with non-petroleum-based oils, such as methylated seed oil, a more environmentally friendly option which avoids petroleum product exposure to the applicator.

Alternative Replacement Plants for Privet:

  • Black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa)
  • Common witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana)
  • Dwarf diervilla (Diervilla lonicera)
  • Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius)
  • Red chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia “Brilliantissima” cultivar)
  • Running serviceberry (Aronia melanocarpa)
  • Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)

Sources:

  • Ohio State University Extension, Agriculture and Natural Resources Fact Sheet F-103-14, Controlling Non-Native Invasive Plants in Ohio Forests: Privet (Ligustrum spp.)

  • Ohio State University Extension, Workshop on Invasive Plants, Day in the Woods, June 14, 2024
  • Ohio Invasive Plant Council, Alternative List of Plants to Replace Invasives
  • Penn State Extension, College of Agricultural Science, Pennsylvania State University