Introduction:
Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense) Weed.
Ligustrum sinense, or Chinese privet, is a shrub or small tree native to China, Vietnam and Laos that can grow up to 9 meters tall. Its flowers are small and somewhat unpleasantly fragrant and its fruits are dark blue or bluish-black. L. sinense has been reported in floodplains, wetlands and bogs, as well as in dry, moist and wet forests, waste places, roadsides and open stream systems. It is widespread and common, especially near towns, where it is deliberately planted. It may displace shrubs of alluvial forests and remain persistent in these areas. Chinese privet fruits are consumed by wildlife, particularly birds, which often excrete the seeds unharmed at distant locations where they may germinate and become established. L. sinense can easily escape cultivation to invade adjacent areas and can form dense monospecific thickets.
Description:
Ligustrum sinense is a deciduous shrub or small tree that typically grows to about 6m but may reach 9m. Its trunks usually occur as multiple stems with many long, leafy branches. Its bark is whitish-tan to gray in color and smooth in texture. Slender twigs are straight, rounded or four-angled below the nodes, and gray-green in color. Leaves are opposite, oval, pubescent on the underside of the midvein, and less than 5cm long. Small, white flowers develop at the end of branches in 5-7.6cm long clusters. Its fruits are oval, fleshy, less than 1.3cm long, ripen to a dark purple to black color, and persist into winter.
Occurs in:
Agricultural areas, coastland, natural forests, riparian zones, ruderal/disturbed, scrub/shrublands, urban areas, water courses, wetlands.
Habitat description:
Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense) Distribution in North America shown in green.
Ligustrum sinense commonly forms dense thickets in fields or in the understory of forests. It grows in a variety of forests, shrublands, woodlands, flood plains, wetlands, and coastal areas, but also has a particular affinity for disturbed or urbanized locations like cleared fields or along roadsides. Occurrences have been recorded from lowland areas and up to 1830 meters elevation. L. sinese tolerates a wide range of soil conditions and is shade tolerant, and tolerates, or even benefits from mutilation, cultivation, or fire.
General impacts:
Ligustrum sinense is extremely invasive and forms dense monospecific layers in forest interiors and edges that outcompete, displace and shade out native vegetation. It reduces native plant abundance and diversity. These reductions in species richness and overstory reproduction associated with L. sinense could impact long-term forest structure and ecosystem function. It has been found to have toxic effects on animals and macroinvertebrates, and one study observed that beetle richness increased greatly after its removal. It is also believed to have a negative impact on water quality.
Geographical range:
Close up of the Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense) Weed.
Native range: China, Hong Kong, Lao People`s Democratic Republic, Taiwan, Viet Nam (Vietnam),
Known introduced range: American Samoa, Argentina, Australia, Fiji, Guam, Hawaii, Reunion (La Réunion), Lord Howe Island, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Norfolk Island, Puerto Rico, Reunion (La Réunion), Samoa, South Africa, Tonga, United States (USA)
Management information:
Restoration potential is likely to be lowest where Ligustrum spp. occur in high densities and there is a high likelihood of continued dispersal of seeds into the restoration area. If attacked during the early stages of colonization, the potential for successful management is high.
Manual and mechanical, environmental/cultural, and chemical methods are all useful in varying degrees in controlling Ligustrum spp.
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