| General Description | Ligustrum japonicum is a woody evergreen plant in the Oleaceae family that originates from Eastern Asia. It has a dark-green glossy look, with cream coloured flowers in the spring. It is considered invasive in regions of North Carolina. |
| ID Characteristic | Ligustrum japonicum can be easily identified by its dark green colour and cream coloured flowers. On closer examination, the 4-5 pairs of lateral raised veins found on the underside of the leaves, the lenticels dotting the stem, and the opposite arrangement of the leaves are all valuable identifiable characteristics. |
| Shape | Ligustrum japonicum typically takes on a shrub form, being often described as having a “green meatball” shape. It can be pruned into a variety of shapes for topiary prunings as well. |
| Landscape | Ligustrum japonicum has various landscape uses, with it working well as a specimen plant, hedge, topiary, and screen. It works well in containers as well. |
| Propagation | Ligustrum japonicum can be propagated through cuttings, which will root quickly in peat:perlite. Within 6 to 8 weeks, the roots will have achieved 80% to 90% rooting and the plant can be transplanted to other containers if needed. Ligustrum japonicum can also be planted in seed form in fall and will germinate by the following spring. |
| Cultivation | Ligustrum japonicum grows best in partial shade to full sun and can be grown in a variety of soils; however, it needs well drained soils or it will not grow. Ligustrum japonicum is also salt tolerant and can be easily transplanted. |
| Pests | Ligustrum japonicum faces no major diseases or pests, and is said to thrive with neglect. Ligustrum japonicum is also resistant to deer. |
| Notable Specimens | Many notable specimens can be found dotted throughout Eastern Asia and North and South Carolina, with one notable large noticeable specimen being found in Lynchburg, South Carolina. |
| Habitat | Ligustrum japonicum originally grows in the Northern region of China, in areas with dry, well draining soil, but will grow well in a variety of locations (granted the temperatures are survivable). It can be found throughout regions of North Carolina, so much so that it is considered an invasive plant in the state and some other states as well. |
| Bark/Stem Description | The stems of a Ligustrum japonicum plant are grey in colour and typically smooth with lenticels dotting the surface, providing some texture to the stem. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description | The leaf buds of Ligustrum japonicum are imbricated with a glabrous texture. The buds are brown in colour and are typically 4 sided. The buds are typically under 0.5 cm in size. |
| Leaf Description | Leaves on Ligustrum japonicum are smooth and dark green in colour. They are oblong-ovate to broad-ovate in shape and generally range from being 3.5 cm to 10 cm long. |
| Flower Description | The flowers of Ligustrum japonicum are creamy white in colour. Clusters of flowers can range from 16 to 20 cm in height and width, with individual flower size never growing beyond 2.5 cm. The flowers are perfect (containing both male and female parts) and bloom in mid to late May. The flowers are aromatic, but are not considered pleasant smelling. |
| Fruit Description | The fruit of Ligustrum japonicum are small black and blue drupes that mature in September to October. The fruits have varying degrees of bloom present, and are present in clusters throughout the plant. The individual fruits never grow more than 2.5 cm in size and are poisonous to various animals. |
| Colour Description | Ligustrum japonicum is a dark green, waxy shrub, with creamy showy flowers. Clusters of small black and blue drupes dot the area of the plant, adding to the dark colours of the plant and contrasting with the bright flowers. The stem of the shrub is grey, but this does not add to the overall colour appearance. |
| Texture Description | Ligustrum japonicum is a medium textured plant. The surface of the leaves are smooth and waxy, with lenticels providing texture along the stem. |