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European Privet

Ligustrum vulgare

Found in disturbed places. FloraQuest, phone app (app page) What its natural habitat tells you

—
Not native

Not native to Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 76%

Height
About 12 feet
Light
Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture
Somewhat dry to moist
See native alternatives

Plant this instead

Choose your county to list local plants first.

  • Sparkleberry
    Vaccinium arboreum

    Sun: Full sun, Partial shade. Soil: Somewhat dry to moist. Flowers: White.

    Similar height, evergreen or deciduous, bloom season

  • Prairie Willow
    Salix humilis

    Sun: Full sun. Soil: Somewhat dry to wet. Flowers: Yellow.

    Similar growth form, height, light

  • Deerberry
    Vaccinium stamineum

    Sun: Full sun, Partial shade. Soil: Dry to average. Flowers: Green, pink or white.

    Similar growth form, height, bloom season

Refine these alternatives in the finder

Check a whole list of plants

At a glance

Life cycle
Woody perennial
Leaves
Semi-evergreen or evergreen
Bloom
May to July
Fruiting season
Summer to fall

Not yet recorded · Spread

Recorded in 25 Virginia counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 120 animals.

All wildlife of Virginia

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

32CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including VA

Genus host records with ranges including VA · Ligustrum

  • Acronicta impletaYellow-Haired Dagger
  • Acronicta oblinitaSmeared Dagger
  • Aethalura intertextaFour-Barred Gray
  • Apantesis naisNais Tiger Moth
  • Argyrotaenia velutinanaRed-Banded Leafroller Moth, Jack Pine Tube Moth
  • Automeris ioIo Moth
  • Callosamia prometheaPromethea Silkmoth, Promethea Moth
  • Ceratomia undulosaWaved Sphinx
  • Cerma cerinthaTufted Bird-Dropping Moth, Cherry Agate
  • Citheronia regalisRoyal Walnut Moth, Hickory Horned Devil
Show all 32
  • Dolba hyloeusPawpaw Sphinx
  • Eacles imperialisImperial Moth, Imperial Spiny Caterpillar
  • Ectropis crepusculariaThe Small Engrailed, Saddleback Looper
  • Eupithecia miserulataCommon Eupithacia, Common Pug
  • Harrisimemna trisignataHarris's Three-Spot
  • Hymenia perspectalisSpotted Beet Webworm
  • Hypena scabraGreen Cloverworm Bomolocha, Black Snout
  • Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
  • Manduca rusticaRustic Sphinx
  • Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
  • Paleacrita vernataSpring Cankerworm Moth
  • Palpita quadristigmalisFour-Spotted Palpita, Privet Moth
  • Paonias myopsSmall-Eyed Sphinx
  • Papilio glaucusEastern Tiger Swallowtail
  • Podosesia syringaeLilac Borer Moth, Ash Borer
  • Rhopobota naevanaBlackheaded Fireworm, Holly Bud Moth, Holly Tortrix
  • Sphinx chersisGreat Ash Sphinx
  • Sphinx franckiiFranck's Sphinx
  • Sphinx kalmiaeFawn Sphinx, Laurel Sphinx
  • Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
  • Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
  • Astala confederata
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
—BeesSoutheastern regional records
—Specialist beesPollen specialists
—BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim
Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Oleaceae
Hardiness
Zones 4a–7b
Flower color
White
Growth rate
Rapid
Growth habit
Several stems
Foliage color
Green
Fruit begins
Summer
Fruit ends
Fall

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope
  • Bloom · “May to July” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
  • Flower color · “White” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
  • Foliage color · “Green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Fruit begins · “Summer” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Fruit ends · “Fall” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Growth habit · “Several stems” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Growth rate · “Rapid” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Hardiness · “Zones 4a–7b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
  • Height · “About 12 feet” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Leaves · “Semi-evergreen or evergreen” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
  • Life cycle · “Woody perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
  • Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
  • primary_flower_color · “white” · USDA PLANTS
  • Soil · “Moist; Occasionally dry” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Also known as

Common Privet

Conservation status

Virginia rankSNA
Global rankGNR
VA statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

Sources