Privet - Large-leaf

NOXIOUS WEED:   Class 4

Ligustrum lucidum

family: OLEACEAE

Description

  • Also known as Broad-leaf Privet, Tree Privet and Glossy Privet: a robust, vigorous, evergreen, fast-growing large shrub to small tree from Asia.
  • Leaves are oval with a pointed tip, up to 13cm long, dark glossy green with a paler dull undersurface and smooth margin.
  • Abundant heavily-scented small white tubular flowers are produced in clusters in summer; they are highly allergenic.
  • Clusters of small round blue-black berries persist into winter.

Dispersal

Seed is spread deep into bushland by fruit-eating birds, both native and exotic. It is also washed down waterways, producing prodigious numbers of rapidly-growing seedlings.

Impact on Bushland

Seeks out the more fertile soils of gullies, creeklines and rainforest edges, and watercourses affected by urban runoff; shades out native plants, transforms the habitat into one dominated by weeds.

Distribution

Lower Blue Mountains

Alternative Planting

Native Plants
Blueberry Ash (Eleaocarpus reticulatus) to 8m
Lillypilly (Acmena smithii) to 10m
Black Wattle (Callicoma serratifolia) to 8m
Grey Myrtle (Backhousia myrtifolia) to 10m

Exotic alternatives
Fried Egg Plant (Gordonia axillaris) to 5m

Control

Check first for nests and dreys.
Treat as for Woody Weeds.
Poison all stems.
Do not leave woody material lying on the ground.
Pull seedlings by hand from moist soil.
Contact BMCC before removing from watercourses or steep land.

See also Small Leaf Privet.

Privet – large-leaf is a Class 4 Noxious Weed.

Characteristics
Class 4 noxious weeds are plants that pose a threat to primary production, the environment or human health, are widely distributed in an area to which the order applies and are likely to spread in the area or to another area.

Control objective
Minimise the negative impact of those plants on the economy, community or environment of NSW.

Control action
The growth and spread of the plant must be controlled according to the measures specified in a management plan published by the local control authority, and the plant may not be sold, propagated or knowingly distributed.

— NSW Noxious Weeds Act of 1993

Picture of Large-leaf Privet infestation
A mature Large-leaf Privet infestation drops prodigious numbers of seeds which wash down waterways, deep into good bushland.

Picture of Large-leaf Privet

Large-leaf Privet is a fast-growing large shrub to small tree with distinct markings on its trunk (lenticels).

Picture of Large-leaf Privet flower

Huge numbers of highly allergenic flowers cover the tree in summer.

Large-leaf Privet flowers are allergenic.

Small white tubular flowers grow in clusters.

Picture of Large-leaf Privet

Large-leaf Privet is spread deep into bushland by birds and water.