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First Editions® Straight Talk® Privet

Ligustrum vulgare 'Swift'

Regular price $6999
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Plant Highlights

First Editions® Straight Talk® Privet highlights at a glance!

Specifications

  • Brand
    First Editions
  • Botanical Name
    Ligustrum vulgare 'Swift'
  • Growing Zones
    4-8
  • Mature Height
    10 - 12 feet
  • Mature Spread
    2 - 4 feet
  • Sun Exposure
    Full Sun
  • Moisture
    Moderate
  • Soil
    Well Drained
  • Growth Rate
    Medium
  • Flower Color
    White
  • Pollinator Friendly
    Yes
  • Fragrant
    Yes
  • Pruning Time
    Early Spring
  • Bloom Period
    Late Spring, Summer

We're sure you love the classic look of Privet with its gorgeous texture, glossy dark green foliage, and "bulletproof" nature! Who wouldn't?

The exceptional Privet shrub has performed for years and years in landscapes around the world as a hedging plant and landscape workhorse. But many cultivars grow too large and can quickly overwhelm a small modern lot.

Plant scientists understand your conundrum! That's why they've worked tirelessly for years to bring a slender cultivar to market. Tough-as-nails First Editions® Straight Talk® Privet (Ligustrum vulgare 'Swift') is the solution for homeowners who demand that elegant Privet look without sacrificing too much space over their choice!

Lush Straight Talk® Privet grows tall but stays very narrow and well-kept! Like all Privets, it can be sheared or left to grow naturally, it even handles pruning and shearing without any problem if you need to keep it shorter.

Primarily grown for its thick foliage and upright habit, the Straight Talk® Privet can be sheared or left to grow naturally. If allowed to grow "fluffy", it develops tiny, fragrant white flowers in late spring that provide nectar for honey bees and butterflies.

Feed your local songbirds when the flowers turn into tiny black berries. The birds love these nearly seedless fruits and will take them quickly. The wind ripples along that lush foliage in a delightful way! Hardy deciduous shrubs throughout USDA growing zones 4 to 8, mature plants can top out at 12 feet in height and stay a slim 2-4 feet wide.

Planting and Application:

Straight Talk® choice makes a great vertical accent for any garden! Its tightly upright shape guides the eye upward to make any garden setting appear larger. You can even have some fun and create unique topiaries!

Cold-hardy Straight Talk® will be a rugged and strong backbone to your garden beds and borders. Use it in tight side yards to add a blissful sense of privacy. Stalwart Straight Talk® Privet both grounds your garden design and grows into a lovely conversation piece.

Sure, you could run these columnar shrubs all along the length of your chain link fence to hide the neighbor once and for all. But you can also use them to divide your property into a series of outdoor rooms that work hard for you and your family.

Make more room for yourself and your circle of family and friends. Reclaim space on your property by installing outdoor dining rooms, private fire pits, and enclosed Outdoor Yoga Studios. Here's how: Plant living "walls" of Straight Talk® Privet 18 inches apart on center. For the fastest results, stagger a double row in a tight zig-zag.

Grassy green carpet, green walls of Privet, and a bright blue ceiling. Sounds amazing, doesn't it?

Use Straight Talk® Privet to create a long hedge or install a short, strategic burst of privacy just where you need to block an unfortunate view. The energetic texture of the large, glossy leaves will become an outstanding asset for your property.

Commercial property owners, these hard-working shrubs elevate the look of your utility entrances and air conditioning units. Create a grand estate with their help.

Even a single Straight Talk® Privet makes an enchanting specimen at a turn in a winding garden path. Pot them up in a fancy container or upscale planter and add slim privacy and shade on an apartment balcony or back deck!

You'll find plenty of places to use these densely branched space-saving workhorses. Try a pair flanking either side of your front door, or boost the grandeur of the entrance to an outdoor kitchen!

  • Beautifully Lustrous Dark Green Foliage
  • Tiny, Fragrant White Blooms - Support Butterflies & Birds
  • Extremely Narrow Growth Habit & Vertical Accent
  • Excellent Modern Privacy Solution
  • Perfect Fit in Tight Spaces, Containers & Small Urban Gardens

#ProPlantTips for Care:

This hardy Privet needs a modicum of care, especially if you'll grow it as a natural shrub without shearing. Give it full sun or partial shade...with at least four hours of daylight. It grows in a wide range of soils, as long as it doesn't remain constantly wet. Provide a moderate amount of water on a regular basis for best results and a 3-4 inch deep top-dressing of arborist mulch. We also recommend that you order Nature Hills Root Booster to have life-long support of the surface feeder roots as they access micronutrients from the soil.

Pruning your Privet as needed, but heavy pruning for shearing is best done in early spring. You can wait until after the fragrant white flowers are finished if you like. Hedges should be trimmed in a tall slightly-triangle shape, keeping the bottom wider than the top, so sunlight can support foliage all the way down to the ground.

Deer tend to pass Privet by, as do other common pests. These shrubs are salt and coastal condition-resistant, handle urban pollution, and are relatively easy to grow!

  • Grow in Full Sun or Partial Shade
  • Grows Quickly in a Variety of Soil Conditions
  • Moderate Moisture Needs
  • Shear, or Grow Naturally - Prune After Flowering
  • Easy to Grow in Urban Conditions & Great Choice for Colder Climates

This strongly vertical cultivar is hugely popular with our professional garden designer clients in many areas of the country. Please place your order for the First Editions® Straight Talk® Privet ASAP if you see it in stock on our site. Solve your toughest landscape challenges...order yours today at Nature Hills Nursery!

Customer Reviews

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M
Molly
Great Performance

I’m happy with how this are filling in year two against our privacy fence. They really soften the space.

Hi Molly,

Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful feedback! We’re thrilled to hear that your plants are filling in beautifully next to your privacy fence and helping to soften your space—it sounds like they’re making just the impact you hoped for. If you ever want additional tips for continued care or ideas to further enhance your garden, feel free to reach out. We’re always here to help your green oasis thrive!

Rooting for your garden’s success,
Your Nature Hills Plant Care Team

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