GardenWizzPlant Care Card

Privet

Ligustrum vulgare · Shrub

Hardiness
H6 Hardy — very cold winter (to −15 to −20°C)
Position
Full sun, Partial shade
Height × Spread
3–5 m × —
Soil
any well-drained soil
Flowering
June–August
Toxicity
Harmful if eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling

The Gardening Year

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
🪴 Plant out
🌸 In flower
✂️ Prune

Watch out for

Privet aphid: Tolerate minor damage as natural predators usually control populations by mid-summer.

Honey fungus: Improve drainage and avoid planting in soil previously infected; remove severely affected plants.

Verticillium wilt: Remove and burn infected material to prevent spread; avoid replanting privet in the same spot.

Scale insects: Scrape off small infestations or use horticultural oil sprays in early spring before they hatch.

Leaf-mining moths: Prune out heavily infested leaves; damage is usually cosmetic and rarely harms established plants.

Full guide: gardenwizz.com/plants/privet © GardenWizz — UK gardening encyclopedia