Golden Privet Ligustrum x vicaryi
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- lig-GUS-trum vi-KAR-ee-eye
- Description
-
Golden privet is a deciduous sterile hybrid in the Oleaceae (olive) family with golden-yellow foliage. The genus name Ligustrum comes from the Latin word for privet. It is the first non-invasive privet. It will grow up to 12 feet high and 10 feet wide to provide a privacy screen or hedge.
Plant it in full sun to partial shade in dry to moist soil. It is tolerant of a variety of soil types and is resistant to drought and deer damage. The leaves change from yellow to chartreuse to reddish in the fall. In the late spring creamy white tubular flowers appear and have a fragrance but not necessarily a pleasant one. The blue-black fruits remain on the plant.
Use this shrub as a specimen as an informal screen or hedge or in a shrub border. If it is a hedge be sure to let it keep more of its natural shape as the newer leaves retain the most vibrant yellow color that can be removed with hedge trimmers. When pruning, keep in mind that next year's blossoms will appear on new growth.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious problems,
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Golden Ticket'
Compact, bright yellow to chartreuse leaves
- 'Golden Ticket'
- 'Golden Ticket'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Golden Ticket'
Compact, bright yellow to chartreuse leaves
- 'Golden Ticket'
- 'Golden Ticket'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Ligustrum
- Family:
- Oleaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- hybrid of non-native parents
- Wildlife Value:
- Nectar from flowers attracts bees and butterflies.
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- deer
- Dimensions:
- Height: 8 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 7 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Multi-stemmed
- Oval
- Rounded
- Vase
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- High
- Texture:
- Medium
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-
Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- 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
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 6-feet-12 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:
- Black
- Blue
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Winter
- Fruit Type:
- Drupe
- Fruit Description:
- Blue-black berry-like fruit persists into winter.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Panicle
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Tubular
- Flower Description:
- Creamy white tubular flowers appear in late spring on up to 4 inch long pyramidal panicles having an unpleasant odor. No seeds produced.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- up to 2.5 inch long oval golden yellow leaves mature to chartreuse to reddish in the fall. Leaves appear more green in the shade.
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-
Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Children's Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Hedge
- Mass Planting
- Screen/Privacy
- Specimen
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Problems:
- Malodorous
