With so many varieties to choose from, there’s no need to hedge your bets
If you’ve ever browsed for hedges at a garden center, you’ve no doubt come across a privet. Part of the Ligustrum family, privets are one of the most popular hedge choices across the world. They have many advantages: Their tight growth patterns and green leaves look great, they’re incredibly hardy, and you can get creative with shaping them if you like. But with so many different types to choose from—each with unique characteristics—it can be difficult to figure out what will work best for your yard.
A professional landscaper near you can help you narrow down your options, and below, you can read about the pros and cons of 11 popular types of privet hedges.
| Type of Privet | Height When Mature |
|---|---|
| Oval-Leaved Privet | 10–15 ft. |
| Golden Privet | 8–10 ft. |
| Common Privet | 10–15 ft. |
| Japanese Privet | 6–12 ft. |
| Waxleaf Privet | Up to 10 ft. |
| Delavay Privet | Up to 10 ft. |
| Chinese Privet | Up to 15 ft. |
| Glossy Privet | 25–50 ft. |
| Border Privet | 4–15 ft. |
| Amur Privet | Up to 15 ft. |
| Sunshine Privet | Up to 4 ft. |
Believed to hail from Japan, this is one of the most popular types of privet in the world (it’s also sometimes called garden privet). It reaches a height of 10 to 15 feet when mature, making it a popular choice for privacy hedges and sculpting projects.
It has thick, rounded leaves and white flowers in summer. It survives well in plant hardiness zones 5 through 8, which means it grows well in most of the continental United States—even areas with chilly winters.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Beautiful leaf shapes | May grow too fast |
| Offers privacy | Can be invasive |
| Very hardy |
Best For: Classic hedges and large topiaries
A cultivar of the oval-leaved privet (you’ll often see it labeled as “Aureum”), this plant boasts beautiful variegated leaves with streaks of yellow and green. It’s a very striking look, and golden privet also offers many of the advantages that oval-leaved privet does, including its ability to survive in a wide range of climate zones. However, golden privet is a little shorter at maturity, reaching 8 to 10 feet at the most, so it may not have as many applications for larger properties that need privacy.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Variegated leaves | Not as tall |
| Durable |
Best For: Adding color and visual interest
This type of privet is closest to the original wild variety. As a result, it comes with some disadvantages that have been bred out of more cultivated species. It has sharper, more blade-like leaves that drop easily in the winter, and its summer flowering isn’t as impressive. On the plus side, it grows quickly (reaching a maximum of 10-15 feet) and can tolerate a wide range of soil conditions (except very wet soil). There is an “Atrovirens” cultivar of common privet that’s even hardier and keeps its leaves longer.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Fast growth | Loses leaves easily |
| Very few soil needs | Can be invasive |
Best For: Low-maintenance gardens
Japanese privet is known for its smaller, darker leaves and its somewhat shorter height (it tops out at 6 to 12 feet when mature). It’s also slightly more vulnerable to cold winters, but like all privets, it’s a relatively hardy plant.
There are several popular cultivars of Japanese privet. These include the darker, beautiful “Rotundifolium,” which is popular in Asian-style gardens, and the lighter “Recurvifolium,” also known as crinkle leaf privet. All in all, Japanese privet is one of the most versatile privets available.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Versatile | Not as tall |
| Small, dark leaves | Not as cold-tolerant |
Best For: Asian-style gardens
A cultivar of the Japanese privet, this deserves its own category. Developed in Texas, it’s prized for its glossy, dark green, noticeably thick leaves and its easy-to-shape branches. This makes waxleaf privet very popular as a standalone bush or container shrub. However, it’s often shorter and more delicate than the original Japanese privet: Don’t try to grow this cultivar in climate zones below 7.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Thick, glossy leaves | Not as tall |
| Easy to shape | Not cold-tolerant |
Best For: Container gardens
Many people assume that any privet can be pruned into a spherical shape. That’s true to an extent, but some varieties are easier to “ball”—and at the top of the list is the Delavay privet, which you’ll typically find in nurseries already sculpted into a ball. These privets can be beautiful, but they aren’t usually suitable for hedges.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Easy to sculpt | Not best for hedges |
| Fragrant flowers |
Best For: Topiaries
Occasionally called the small-leaf privet, the Chinese privet has much in common with, well, the common privet. It’s fast-growing and can reach up to 15 feet in the right conditions.
Chinese privet is also one of the more infamous privets, because it’s highly invasive in the southern United States. It’s frequently the subject of warnings on what not to plant in warmer weather zones. Also, it has a reputation for having pungent, overly-sweet flowers. Some find the scent unpleasant and even describe it as fetid.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Easy to grow | Highly invasive |
| Pungent flowers |
Best For: Colder climates and areas where it’s more easily contained
Glossy privets are often confused with both waxleaf privets and Chinese privets, and to make matters worse, you’ll often see their names used interchangeably. This is when scientific names come in handy. The waxleaf privet is Ligustrum japonicum, Chinese privet is Ligustrum sinense, and glossy privet is Ligustrum lucidum.
The biggest difference with glossy privet is its height: If trained as a tree, it can grow nearly 50 feet tall. You can also keep it lower as a tall privacy shrub. Compared to the waxleaf privet, glossy privet’s shiny leaves are typically larger. It can also be more vulnerable to colder temperatures.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Very tall | Not as cold-tolerant |
| Large, shiny leaves | Often mislabeled |
Best For: Privacy
The average privet may have trouble growing in very cold climates, including some northern states and mountainous regions where temperature drop below zero in winter. But the border privet is an exception. It’s able to grow well in climate zone 3, making it suitable for even the coldest U.S. winters. Appearance-wise, it’s similar to—but slightly shorter than—the oval-leaved privet and has spikier-looking blooms in summer.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Very cold-resistant | Not as tall |
| Glossy green leaves | Pungent flowers |
Best For: The coldest climates
Native to northern China, the low-maintenance amur privet is easy to grow and tolerates cold well. It grows up to 15 feet, making it a good option for a privacy hedge. But its dull green leaves aren’t as attractive as other types of privet, and many people find the scent of its flowers to be unpleasant.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Cold-resistant | Dull green leaves |
| Easy to grow | Pungent flowers |
| Good for privacy |
Best For: Windbreak hedges
This unique ornamental privet is instantly recognizable for its bright yellow leaves. However, its beautiful look comes with some downsides. It’s a very short privet, typically only three to four feet high at the most, so it can’t be used as a windbreak hedge or privacy hedge. It also does poorly in cold weather, making it a better choice for milder climate zones 6 and above.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Bright yellow leaves | Shortest variety |
| Unique | Not cold-tolerant |
Best For: Ornamental shrubs
Many privet varieties are considered invasive, particularly in North America. They can grow quickly, spread into the wild, and push out native species if left uncontrolled. It’s a particular problem for warmer southern states, and some regions even have warnings or regulations against planting certain types of privet. You can reduce (but not eliminate) the chances of privet spreading by cutting its flowers in summer before they develop.
For maximum privacy, choose one of the taller varieties of privet, such as oval-leaved privet, amur privet, glossy privet, or common privet.
Privet hedges look their best when closely trimmed. Aim for two thorough prunings per year, one in mid-to-early summer and one toward the end of fall as cold weather arrives. If your privet hedge is developing a lot of straggler branches, it’s probably time to trim these overgrown shrubs. Faster-growing varieties like common privet may need more frequent attention, too.
Yes, all privet varieties are toxic, including their leaves, berries, and new shoots. You will see birds eating the berries since they are largely unaffected, but humans and many animals, including dogs and cats, can be poisoned if they eat parts of a privet hedge. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea; fortunately, the risk of death is very low. Some humans can break out in a rash if they come in contact with the leaves, so wear protection when pruning.
That depends a lot on your climate, as privets are usually semi-evergreen. If you get colder weather, you can expect privet hedges to lose some leaves over winter, although they will grow back in spring. In particularly cold regions, privet hedges often lose most or all of their leaves, so they will look bare for a few months.
