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Ligustrum lucidum
Glossy Privet
Tree Privet
Not native to Florida
This plant is an invasive exotic that is altering native plant communities by displacing native species, changing community structures or ecological functions, or hybridizing with natives.
This species should never be planted (many with this designation are prohibited by law), and generally should be removed whenever possible.
This Asian native can now be found in disturbed sites throughout the panhandle and into the northern peninsula and a few central Florida counties. Also now present in the southeastern coastal states from Texas to North Carolina, plus Maryland and California.
Glossy privet is a semi-evergreen shrub or small tree growing to 12.2m (40 ft.) tall. The opposite leaves are ovate to lanceolate, 5-15.2cm (3 to 6 in.) long and 4-10.2cm (2 to 4 in.) wide. Leaves of Ligustrum lucidum are not as thick as Japanese privet (L. japonicum). Profuse clusters of white flowers appear at the ends of branches. The fruits are oval and fleshy, up to 1.3cm (<1/2 in.) long and dark blue to black.
Ligustrum lucidum is a member of the Oleaceae - Olive family.
Other species of the Ligustrum genus in the Wild Florida Photo database:
Ligustrum japonicum - JAPANESE PRIVET
Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants (Institute for Systemic Botany) profile for this species
USDA Plant Profile for this species
Date record last modified: Aug 14, 2022
