Swamp Privet

Forestiera acuminata

$80²⁴ $88⁷⁵

In Stock
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Plant Size

#3 Container 1-2 Feet

Product variants

Plant Sentry™

Delivery and Shipping

Understanding Plant Options

Nature Hills offers plants in two main formats:

Container Plants: Grown in pots with soil, sized by container volume and plant age
Bare Root Plants: Dormant plants without soil, sized by height measurements

Container Plant Sizes

Container sizes indicate plant age and growing capacity rather than liquid volume equivalents. Our containers follow industry-standard nursery "trade gallon" specifications, which differ from standard liquid gallon measurements.

Young Plants (6 months to 18 months old)

Container Size	Actual Volume	Metric Equivalent
2" x 2" x 3"	0.18 - 0.21 dry quarts	0.20 - 0.23 dry liters
4" Container	0.31 - 0.87 dry quarts	0.35 - 0.96 dry liters
4.5" Container	0.65 dry quarts	0.72 dry liters
6" Container	1.4 dry quarts	1.59 dry liters
1 Quart	1 dry quart	1.1 dry liters
5.5" Container	1.89 dry quarts	2.08 dry liters

Established Plants (18 months to 2.5 years old)

Container Size	Actual Volume	Metric Equivalent
2 Quart	2 dry quarts	2.2 dry liters
#1 Container	2.26 - 3.73 dry quarts	2.49 - 4.11 dry liters
5" x 5" x 12"	3.5 - 4.3 dry quarts	3.85 - 4.74 dry liters

Mature Plants (2-4 years old)

Container Size	Actual Volume	Metric Equivalent
#2 Container	1.19 - 1.76 dry gallons	5.24 - 7.75 dry liters
#3 Container	2.15 - 2.76 dry gallons	8.14 - 12.16 dry liters

Large Plants (3-5 years old)

Container Size	Actual Volume	Metric Equivalent
#5 Container	2.92 - 4.62 dry gallons	12.86 - 20.35 dry liters
#6 Container	5.25 - 6.01 dry gallons	23.12 - 26.42 dry liters
#7 Container	5.98 - 6.53 dry gallons	26.34 - 28.76 dry liters

Bare Root Plants

Bare root plants are sold by height from the root system to the top of the plant. Plants may exceed minimum height requirements.

Common Sizes:

Trees: 1 foot, 2 feet, 3 feet, 4 feet, 5 feet, 6 feet
Shrubs & Perennials: 1 foot, 18 inches, 2 feet

Important Notes

Container Volume Specifications

Trade Gallon Standard: Our containers follow industry-standard "trade gallon" specifications established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI Z60.1) for nursery stock
Volume Variations: Actual soil volume may vary due to plant root systems and growing medium settlement
Age Indicators: Container size primarily indicates plant age and maturity rather than liquid volume equivalents

Growing Conditions

Plant size can vary based on variety and growing conditions
Container size helps indicate plant maturity and establishment level
Larger containers generally mean more established root systems and faster landscape establishment

Seasonal Availability

Bare root plants are available seasonally when dormant
Container plants are available throughout the growing season
Specific varieties may have limited availability in certain sizes

Questions?

For questions about specific plant sizes or availability, please contact our plant experts who can help you choose the right size for your landscape needs.

Plant Highlights

Swamp Privet highlights at a glance!

Brand

Nature Hills' Choice
Botanical Name

Forestiera acuminata
Growing Zones

6, 7, 8, 9
Mature Height

15 - 25 Feet
Mature Spread

15 - 20 Feet
Sun Exposure

Full Sun, Partial Shade
Moisture

High
Soil

Tolerates Wet Soils
Growth Rate

Medium
Flower Color
- Yellow
Fall Color

Yellow
Pollinator Friendly

Yes
Pollinator Required

Yes
Pruning Time

After Flowering
Bloom Period

Early Spring, Late Spring
Fragrant

Yes

Growing Zones 6 - 9

Find Your Growing Zone!

Highly adaptable shrubs or trees, the Swamp Privet (Forestiera acuminata) is a hardy native wetland plant with an open and airy form! Found growing throughout the southeastern and central U.S., The yellow sprays of flowers, the gray branches fill out with pointed yellow-green toothy foliage for the entire growing season!

The spring flowers appear on old wood and male flowers and female flowers appear on separate plants. If pollinated by the plethora of bees and butterflies that love these blooms, the female plants form bird-friendly purple drupes for the late summer months and contrast with the yellow fall color.

The leaves of these plants have a spicy aroma when crushed and are similar to Spicebush. However, while called a Privet, Swamp Privet are not true Privet shrubs (Ligustrum). When grown in their natural form, these natives can form polite thickets. When pruned into more tree-form specimens, the multi-branched trees can grow 15-25 feet tall and about 15-20 feet wide.

Planting and Application:

Growing into naturalized thickets along riparian areas and in boggier areas of the landscape. Plant Swamp Privet in the Rain Garden and along your ponds, brooks, and water features, anywhere there is higher moisture soils available.

Equally adaptable to partial shade, Swamp Privet are wonderful understory shrubs, happily hanging out under the canopy of larger trees. Handling full sun as well, these wonderful native plants handle a wide range of conditions, while feeding and sheltering songbirds and wildlife - but there is little worry that Deer will browse on your Swamp Privet stand.

Sprays of Yellow Blooms
Yellow-Green Leaves & Yellow Fall Color
Pollinator Friendly Blooms
Loves High Moisture Environments & Rain Gardens
Purple Drupes In Summer Feed Water Foul, Songbirds & Ducks
Naturalizing, Understory Tree or Shrub, Thickets & Wetland Areas

#ProPlantTips for Care:

Plant Swamp Privet in full sun or partial shade locations and provide a well-drained soil location with higher moisture availability. In drier conditions in the garden, plant this hardy native in an enriched location that is mulched with 3-4 inches of arborist bark chips. Eastern Swamp Privet shrubs bloom on old wood, so prune only after flowering. For maintaining large naturalized thickets, try renewal pruning instead and only remove the oldest, fattest stems, leaving behind younger more vigorous branching.

Full Sun & Partial Shade
Well-Drained Soil Locations
Average to Higher Moisture Locations
Prune After Flowering
Deer Seldom Bother These Hardy Natives!

Native Eastern Swamp Privet shrubs or trees are wonderful additions to boost your landscapes biodiversity and increase native plant presence in your area! Now available at Nature Hills Nursery!