Ligustrum Shrubs and Privet Plants

Sunshine Ligustrum: Golden Color for Every Season

Sunshine Ligustrum is the standout of this collection and one of the most recognizable plants in the Southern Living Plant Collection. Its small leaves emerge chartreuse and mature to a vivid golden yellow, creating a bright ribbon of color through sunny borders, low hedges, foundation beds, and containers.

Unlike many traditional privet plants, Sunshine Ligustrum is sterile. It does not produce flowers, berries, or viable seed. That gives homeowners the durable foliage and easy shaping associated with ligustrum without unwanted reseeding.

Sunshine Ligustrum generally matures to approximately 3–6 feet tall × 3–4 feet wide. Plant it in full sun for the brightest yellow color. In lower light, the leaves may remain more lime green.

Use Sunshine Ligustrum:

• Along a sunny walkway
• Beneath taller windows
• As a colorful low hedge
• In a mixed evergreen border
• In groups around an entry or patio
• As a bright contrast to burgundy, dark green, or blue-green foliage

How to Choose the Right Ligustrum

Begin with the role you want the plant to fill.

Choose Sunshine Ligustrum for:

• Golden-yellow evergreen foliage
• A manageable residential size
• Low hedges and colorful borders
• Foundation beds and containers
• A sterile variety that does not flower or produce seed

Choose Wavy Leaf Ligustrum for:

• Taller evergreen screening
• A dense privacy hedge
• Glossy, deep green foliage
• A large landscape accent
• Full sun or partial-shade locations

Before ordering, compare the mature dimensions carefully. A compact ligustrum can fit comfortably beside a porch or walkway, while a larger Japanese privet needs considerably more space.

Where Do Ligustrums Grow Best?

Most ligustrums perform well in full sun and well-drained soil. Some green-leafed varieties tolerate partial shade, while Sunshine Ligustrum develops its richest golden color with at least 6 hours of direct sunlight.

Avoid planting in low areas where water remains around the roots. Once established in a suitable location, many ligustrum shrubs tolerate Southern heat and short dry periods well.

Water deeply after planting. Continue checking the soil regularly through the first growing season. Water again when the upper inch begins to feel dry rather than following the same fixed schedule every week.

Japanese Privet for Hedges and Privacy

Larger selections such as Wavy Leaf Ligustrum are forms of Japanese privet, or Ligustrum japonicum. These substantial evergreen shrubs have glossy green foliage and dense branching that works well for privacy screens, tall hedges, property boundaries, and large foundation plantings.

Wavy Leaf Ligustrum is named for its curved, rippled leaves. It grows much larger than Sunshine Ligustrum and needs enough room to develop without constant pruning. It can be maintained as a large shrub or trained into a small accent tree.

Plant larger Japanese privet selections where their mature height and width will not crowd windows, walkways, utilities, or nearby plants.

Good to Know: Some ligustrum species are considered invasive or restricted in certain areas. Regulations and recommendations differ by state. Review your local Extension guidance before planting, and check the individual product page for shipping restrictions.

Planting Ligustrum as a Hedge

Spacing depends on the variety, its mature width, and how quickly you want the plants to grow together.

For Sunshine Ligustrum, space plants approximately 2–2½ feet apart, measured from the center of one plant to the center of the next, to create a continuous hedge. Allow about 4 feet or more between plants when you want each shrub to keep a more individual shape.

Larger Wavy Leaf Ligustrum plants may be spaced approximately 4–6 feet apart for screening. Give them additional room when growing them as individual shrubs or small trees.

Always base your final spacing on the mature size listed for the specific plant.

Buy Ligustrum Shrubs Direct From the Grower

Plants by Mail ships nursery-grown ligustrum shrubs directly from our Alabama growers. Each plant is selected, secured in its container, and packed for live-plant delivery.

Whether you want the glowing foliage of Sunshine Ligustrum or the substantial evergreen coverage of a larger privet, you can compare varieties by mature size, light requirements, and landscape use before ordering. Choose the right plant for your space, then give it room to grow into the finished landscape you have in mind.