Waxleaf Privet

Glossy Evergreen For Sculpted Green Beauty

The Waxleaf Privet (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 that appear 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, the Waxleaf Privet hedging creates rounded forms reaching 8-10 feet tall and wide if left unpruned. The leathery, oval-shaped leaves create a solid backdrop for the tiny clusters of creamy white flowers in mid to late spring. These fragrant spring blooms emit a sweet scent and are followed by small black berries in fall, which are bird candy for your feathered visitors.

Native to Japan and Korea, this Privet cultivar is a southern gardener’s dream! A hardy evergreen plant in USDA zones 7-11, it handles salt spray, urban smog, heat, humidity, pruning, and even becomes a drought-tolerant shrub once established. It's been bred for compactness and reduced seed production, making it a more garden-friendly selection than other Privet varieties.

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Key Features

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

Landscaping Uses

Loved for its adaptability and polished appearance, this compact cultivar is a dependable favorite! Use axleaf Privet hedge plants as a formal hedge, informal screen, or shaped specimen. Read more on trimming your Privet Hedge here in our Garden Blog! With its symmetrical habit and dense growth, it reaches 8-10 feet high and wide when untrimmed.

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

Care and Maintenance

Whether planted along the Gulf Coast or tucked into an inland courtyard, Waxleaf Privet shrubs are no-fuss evergreens that stand up to Ma Nature’s mood swings.

This broadleaf evergreen shrub is low-maintenance and versatile, thriving in full sun or part shade and shrugging off pests and diseases. It's a dream for novice and seasoned gardeners alike!

• 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 during the first year using the Finger Test
• Arborist Mulch: Apply a 3-4 inch layer of arborist mulch to retain moisture and regulate temperature
• Fertilization Needs: Feed in spring with a balanced shrub fertilizer
• Pruning Info: Prune after flowering to shape; avoid cutting when in bloom to prevent growth loss. Learn about deadheading for better flowering response
• Renewal Pruning: Every 3-5 years, thin older branches at the base to rejuvenate
• Special Needs/Perks/ For Success:
• Deer and rabbit resistant
• High salt tolerance
• Urban pollution and heat-tolerant
• Handles compacted soil and mild clay
• Low pH tolerant

A Privet Bush Affair Worth Growing

Whether you prefer your greenery clipped to perfection or allowed to roam in natural billows of glossy green, Waxleaf Privet delivers a refined look with rugged reliability. Fragrant spring blooms, bird-friendly berries, and sculptable foliage make it a must-have for any smart gardener’s landscape.

Buy now, and Nature Hills will ship at the appropriate planting time for your growing zone.

Frequently Asked Questions

How fast does Waxleaf Privet grow?

Fast-growing hedge plants like Waxleaf Privet have a moderate to fast growth rate. Expect about 1-2 feet of growth per year under ideal conditions, making them excellent, quick privacy hedges.

Is Waxleaf Privet invasive?

'Texanum' is a non-invasive Privet cultivar of Ligustrum japonicum. It produces fewer seeds and has a compact growth habit, making it safer for residential landscapes than other invasive Privet species.

Can Waxleaf Privet grow in containers?

Yes! These container-friendly shrubs perform beautifully in large containers, especially when pruned into pyramids or standard tree forms for patio plants.

Does Waxleaf Privet need full sun?

Full sun, evergreens, but also grows well as a partial shade shrub. Making it adaptable for many sites and shade-tolerant landscaping.

Do Waxleaf Privets attract pollinators or birds?

Yes! The spring blooms attract butterflies and bees, while fall berries feed birds, making them excellent wildlife-friendly plants.

Is Waxleaf Privet good for coastal gardens?

Absolutely! It has excellent salt tolerance and serves as a windbreak for seaside landscapes and coastal hedge plants.

How tall does a Waxleaf Privet get?

Typically 6-10 feet tall and wide if left unpruned, but can be maintained at any height through trimming, making them versatile hedge height options.

Does it lose leaves in winter?

No, Waxleaf Privet is a broadleaf evergreen and keeps its foliage year-round in zones 7-11, providing winter interest plants and year-round privacy.

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