How to Plant and Grow Privet

With its lustrous deep-green foliage, privet makes a dense privacy hedge or living fence. Some varieties also have golden foliage, while others may be variegated with gray-green mottling or even cream-silver edges. These plants, hardy in Zones 5-9, can be evergreen, semi-evergreen, or deciduous, depending on where you live and the variety you choose. These plants grow quickly and are not bothered by pollution in urban settings. They’re also fairly salt-tolerant.

In late spring to early summer, fragrant privet flowers—which are tubular and white—accent the attractive foliage and lure pollinators like bees and butterflies.

Privet berries and leaves are toxic to animals1 and humans.2

Where to Plant Privet

Plant privet in well-draining, moist soil with a pH of 6.0 to 8.0. If the soil doesn’t meet these requirements, amend it before planting. Privet grows best in full sun, which brings out the best foliage color, but it tolerates partial shade. The only thing it can’t handle is soggy soil.

Privet plants are attractive in mass plantings or standing alone as specimen plants. They are useful for wind-proofing a garden and for noise reduction. Privet makes a good privacy hedge, but in many areas, they are deciduous and lose their foliage in the fall. So if you’re looking for an evergreen hedge, this is not the plant for you.

How and When to Plant Privet

Autumn is the ideal time to plant privet, although they can be planted in the spring if they are watered frequently.

To plant a single privet plant, dig a hole twice as wide and no deeper than the nursery container, amending the soil if needed. Remove the privet from the container and loosen some of the roots around the outside of the root ball. If the privet is root bound, spray the roots with water and then attempt to loosen them. Set the plant in the hole so that the top of the root ball is about an inch above the soil line, adding soil to the bottom of the hole if necessary to reach this height. Hold the plant up straight and backfill the area around the root ball, tamping the soil down as you work to remove air pockets. Continue to fill the hole. When you reach the top, taper the backfill soil so that no soil sits on top of the exposed portion of the root ball; that can suffocate the plant. Water deeply and apply a 1- or 2-inch layer of aged mulch, such as pine straw or shredded wood, keeping it a few inches away from the base of the plant.

Planting privet as a hedge is similar to planting a lone privet. Dig a trench 2 feet wide and 2 feet deep. Amend the soil as needed and space the privet plants uniformly 2 feet apart, adding soil in the bottom of the trench to adjust the height of each plant as you work. When they are all in position, backfill the rest of the trench with the amended soil, tapering the backfill to bring the soil up to—not over—the top of the root ball. Water deeply and apply aged mulch under the plants.

Privet Care Tips

Privet will grow in many types of environments and is fairly low-maintenance, though it needs to be monitored for excess growth.

Light

Full sun is ideal for privet and yields the most vibrant colors, especially in gold and variegated varieties, but partial sun is also suitable.

Soil and Water

Privet prefers well-drained, evenly moist soil with a neutral pH. Water new shrubs weekly if there isn’t enough rainfall. Older privets are fairly drought-tolerant but need water if there are extended periods without rain.

Temperature and Humidity

Privet plants will do well in nearly any temperature, including freezing and extreme heat. When it’s very hot, they need extra water. Humidity can cause fungi to grow if there’s a lot of moisture and there isn’t enough air circulation around the plant.

Fertilizer

Apply a broadleaf shrub fertilizer in the spring and fall. For the amount to use, follow product label directions.

Pruning

It’s best to trim privets after they have flowered and another three or four times throughout the summer. This will encourage the plants to become bushier. Avoid pruning from late summer into fall, as this will result in tender new growth that won’t have time to toughen up before winter.

Pests and Problems

Privet may get powdery mildew or leaf spot, or be invaded by pests, but it’s a strong plant that can survive these problems. On the other hand, twig blight or anthracnose may be more challenging to fix.

How to Propagate Privet

Privet can be propagated via cuttings or seed.

Cuttings: In the spring, take softwood cuttings that are 6 to 8 inches long from the tips of new-growth stems, making the cut just below a leaf node. Remove the leaves from the bottom half of the cutting and dip it in rooting hormone powder. Fill an 8-inch container with soilless mix and moisten the planting medium thoroughly. Insert the bottom of the cutting into the medium and firm the medium around it. You can fit three or four cuttings in each container.

Cover the container and cuttings with a clear plastic bag and put it in a warm location with bright, indirect light. Check the container every few days to ensure the planting mix stays moist. The cuttings should root in four to six weeks. Test them by removing the cover and carefully tugging on a leaf at the top of the cutting. If you feel resistance, the cutting has rooted. When rooting occurs, remove the plastic bag permanently. Wait until the cuttings have robust root systems and transfer each one to its own 6-inch container.

Seed: In spring, select a site in the garden with at least 6 hours of sunlight and well-draining soil. Privet needs to be spaced so the plants have plenty of room to grow—at least 2 feet apart if planted as a hedge and up to 10 feet apart if planted as a tree or specimen plant. Loosen the top 6 inches of soil and add well-rotted compost. Sow twice the number of seeds as you need for mature plants, two in each location. Press them 1 inch deep and tamp the soil over them so there is good soil/seed contact. Moisten the soil but don’t overwater it. The seeds take about two months to germinate, and the soil should be kept moist, not wet, during this time. After the seedlings emerge and develop foliage, thin them to the desired spacing by removing the weaker of the two seedlings.

Types of Privet

Common Privet

Ligustrum vulgare is the hardiest of privets. Deciduous in cold-winter areas, it grows 10 feet tall and 8 feet wide. Zones 5-8

Golden Vicary Privet

Ligustrum x vicaryi forms a mound of golden foliage that grows 12 feet tall and wide. Zones 6-8

Glossy Privet

Ligustrum lucidum, a large shrub or small tree, has shiny, dark green leaves. It is an invasive species in some states. Zones 7-10

Japanese Privet

Ligustrum japonicum features glossy, dark green leaves and black berries. It grows 10 feet tall and 8 feet wide. (Zones 7-10)