Syrian Privet Fontanesia fortunei
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- fon-tan-NEE-zee-uh for-TOO-nee-eye
- Description
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Fontanesia is a deciduous shrub or small tree in the olive family (Oleaceae) native to China. The genus name commemorates French botanist Rene Louiche Desfontaines (1750–1833). The species epithet honors famed 19th-century Scottish plant hunter Robert Fortune (1812–1880), who collected plants in China.
Fontanesia will grow in nearly any consistently moist, well-drained soil in sun to partial shade. Once established, the plant has some drought tolerance and is winter hardy to USDA zone 6.
In its native habitat, it is reported to grow to a height of 30 feet but It typically grows 10 to 15 feet tall in garden settings. It blooms with short panicles of white flowers in June–July. It is a tough, privet-like, durable shrub with glossy evergreen leaves ranging from 1 to 5 inches long that tolerates urban conditions and drought.
Easily cultivated, this shrub can be used for screening or in a shrub border and cut branches will easily take root to form a hedge.
Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: No known diseases or insect pests.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Fontanesia
- Species:
- fortunei
- Family:
- Oleaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Root Cutting
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- East Asia, Central and South China
- Dimensions:
- Height: 10 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 4 ft. 0 in. - 9 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Perennial
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Multi-stemmed
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 3 feet-6 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Samara
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Thin, flat disc 3/8 of an inch long with winged margins that are green maturing to brown.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Green
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Panicle
- Raceme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- White four-petaled flowers in 1¼-inch long clusters of small blossoms from May to June or July. Individual flowers are about 1/6 of an inch long.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Insignificant
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- One to five inch long and one inch wide green leaves are opposite, lanceolate shaped, with apex long acuminate and entire margins. The plant does not display fall color.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Square
- Stem Description:
- Tetragonal (four angles and four sides) stems in cross section.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Asian Garden
- Design Feature:
- Hedge
- Screen/Privacy
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Urban Conditions
