Wax Leaf Privet

Glossy Evergreen For Sculpted Green Beauty

The Wax Leaf Privet (also known as Waxleaf - Ligustrum japonicum 'Texanum') is a tidy, tough-as-nails broadleaf evergreen shrub that proves beauty and brawn can go hand in hand. With deep emerald-green, glossy leaves that shine in every season and fragrant white blossoms each spring, this privacy hedge plant is both a structural asset and a sensory delight.

Growing into a dense mound or column of gleaming foliage, Wax Leaf Privet hedges form rounded structures reaching 8-10 feet tall and wide if left unpruned. The leathery, oval-shaped leaves create a solid backdrop for clusters of creamy white flowers in mid to late spring. These blooms emit a sweet fragrance and are followed by small black berries in fall, beloved by birds.

Native to Japan and Korea, this Privet cultivar is a southern gardener’s dream. Hardy in USDA zones 7-11, it thrives in heat, humidity, salt spray, and urban conditions. Once established, it even becomes a drought-tolerant evergreen shrub. Bred for compactness and reduced seed production, it’s a more landscape-friendly option than other Privet species.

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Key Features

• Broadleaf evergreen with glossy, dark green foliage
• Fragrant white flower clusters in spring
• Fall berries attract and feed birds
• Tolerates pruning for hedges, screens, or topiary shapes
• Highly adaptable evergreen: drought, salt, pest, and disease tolerant
• Grows 8-10 feet tall and 4-6 feet wide; naturally compact
• Heat-tolerant plants in USDA zones 7-11
• Deer and rabbit resistant

Landscaping Uses

Loved for its adaptability and polished appearance, this compact evergreen is a dependable favorite. Use Wax Leaf Privet as a formal hedge, informal screen, or shaped specimen. Read more about trimming Privet hedges on our Garden Blog! With its symmetrical habit and dense growth, it delivers instant elegance to any setting.

• Formal hedges or topiary landscaping
• Privacy screens or windbreak plants
• Container gardening for patios and entryways
• Coastal landscaping and salt-tolerant plants
• Small urban yards or narrow side gardens
• Foundation plantings or mixed border backdrops
• Low-maintenance landscaping

Care and Maintenance

From Gulf Coast breezes to inland courtyards, Wax Leaf Privet shrubs are no-fuss evergreens that stand up to Ma Nature’s mood swings. Low-maintenance and versatile, they thrive in full sun or part shade while resisting pests and disease.

• Planting Time: Spring or fall
• Sun Needs: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil Needs: Well-drained; tolerates sand, loam, clay, and poor soils
• Moisture Needs: Moderate once established; water regularly the first year using the Finger Test
• Arborist Mulch: Apply a 3-4 inch layer of mulch to conserve moisture and regulate soil temps
• Fertilization: Feed in spring with a balanced shrub fertilizer
• Pruning: Shape after flowering; avoid pruning in bloom. Learn about deadheading
• Renewal Pruning: Every 3-5 years, thin older branches at the base
• Special Perks: Deer/rabbit resistant, salt tolerant, heat and pollution tolerant, handles compacted soil and low pH

A Privet Bush Affair Worth Growing

Whether clipped to perfection or left in natural glossy billows, Wax Leaf Privet offers a refined look with rugged reliability. With fragrant blooms, bird-friendly berries, and sculptable evergreen foliage, it’s a must-have in any smart gardener’s landscape.

Order your Wax Leaf Privet now - Nature Hills will ship at the perfect planting time for your growing zone!