Native Plant Alternatives to Ligustrum vulgare (Common Privet)

Ligustrum vulgare, also known as Common Privet or European Privet, is considered an invasive species in some areas. Native to Europe, North Africa, and Southwest Asia, it has been widely introduced around the world for ornamental purposes and as a hedging plant.

Common Privet is listed in the Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States.

In the United States, Common Privet has been reported as invasive in many areas, particularly in the eastern and southern regions, where it can escape cultivation and invade fields, forests, and other natural areas. The plant forms dense thickets that outcompete native vegetation and can alter the structure and function of natural habitats. It reproduces both by seed (which are often dispersed by birds) and by sprouting vigorously from the root system, which allows it to recover from cutting or burning and makes it difficult to control.

According to the U.S Forest Service, Invasive species have contributed to the decline of 42% of U.S. endangered and threatened species and 18% of U.S. endangered or threatened species. Invasive species compete directly with native species for moisture, sunlight, nutrients, and space. They displace and alter native plant communities, degrade wildlife habitat and water quality, and potentially lead to increased soil erosion.

The federal government has estimated that nearly 25 percent of the 20,000 plant species native to North America are at risk of extinction, many of these through habitat loss. You can help reverse this trend by planting great native plants in your garden.

A plant is considered native if it occurs naturally in a particular region or ecosystem without human introduction. There are many benefits to growing native plants. First, these plants are better adapted to soils, moisture, and weather than exotic plants that evolved in other parts of the world. They need fewer fertilizers and pesticides or use less water. Second, they are unlikely to escape and become invasive, destroying natural habitats. Third, they support wildlife, providing shelter and food for native birds and insects, while exotic plants do not.