What Is a Privet Hedge? Pros, Cons, and Maintenance Tips
Privacy hedges with a classic landscaping look
Highlights
Privet hedges are a dense shrub variety with bright green leaves.
These are popular landscaping features for creating yard privacy.
A major drawback of privet hedges is that they’re poisonous to humans and animals.
You’ve likely seen a yard surrounded by privet hedges in your neighborhood or at least on TV. So, what is a privet hedge, and why should you consider using privet hedges to surround your yard?
We’ve compiled everything you need to know about privet hedges, including pros, cons, and tips for growing and maintaining them. Contact landscaping professionals in your area for more localized information.
What Is a Privet Hedge?
A privet is a type of shrub with dense and vibrant green leaves. Also known by its botanical name, Ligustrum, privet is often used around the perimeter of a yard as a natural privacy barrier. Privet hedges can grow upwards of 15 feet with regular maintenance, making them the perfect fence alternative.
Popular Varieties of Privet
Here are five popular privet hedge options to consider for your yard. Keep an eye on the plant hardiness zone so you can choose a hedge type that’ll work in your climate.
Amur North River Privet
Amur North River privet (Ligustrum amurense) is best for hardiness zones 4 through 8 and grows from 3 to 15 feet tall. It’s one of the most popular privet hedges because it’s very hardy and rarely requires pesticides or insecticides. It can handle cold weather and grows fine in full sun and partially shaded areas.
California Privet
This is a semi-evergreen hedge with dense foliage. California privet (Ligustrum ovalifolium) grows quickly and hardy, so you can prune and shape them as much as you’d like. Best of all, it’s easy to plant and maintain. These hedges do best in hardiness zones 5 through 8 and grow 10 to 15 feet tall.
Indian Laurel Columns
If you live in hardiness zones 10 or 11, the Indian Laurel Columns (Ficus nitida) will provide plenty of privacy. Growing upward of 5 to 20 feet, the leaves are dense and easily pruned to your liking. This evergreen hedge is low-maintenance and only requires extra watering in the hottest months.
Border Privet
The border privet (Ligustrum obtusifolium) leaves turn a reddish-purple hue in the fall. This option does well in hardiness zones 4 through 9 and in sun and shade. It grows as much as 10 to 12 feet tall and has fragrant white flowers in the summer and dark purple-black berries in the winter.
Japanese Privet
Originating in Japan, this privet hedge (Ligustrum japonicum) requires good drainage but is otherwise easy to plant since it thrives in any soil type. Very aromatic white flowers bloom around late spring or later, giving way to berries in the winter. These grow 6 to 12 feet tall and are best suited for hardiness zones 7 through 10.
Privet Hedge Pros
Aside from being aesthetically pleasing, there are several practical reasons you should consider adding privet hedges to your yard.
Landscaping Feature
Privet hedges create a clean and classic landscaping feature when fully grown and regularly maintained. They’re the perfect plant for filling in the space in your yard with lush green leaves. Speak with a local landscaper about how to add privet hedges to your yard and the best maintenance schedule.
Blooms Every Year
Along with greenery, privet hedges bloom beautiful and scented white flowers in the late spring and early summer.
Grows Tall for Privacy
Mature privet hedges can grow upwards of 15 feet tall. Some homeowners trim the tops before they get that tall, while others use the plant’s height for seclusion and privacy.
Can Be Used in Place of Fencing
Along with growing tall, privet hedges grow wide—a single privet hedge can expand up to 10 feet across. The sheer size of this plant makes it a great alternative fencing option when planting a line of hedges side by side.
Privet Hedge Cons
Despite all the pros, consider some privet hedge cons before planting them around your yard.
Privet Hedge Plants Are Poisonous
Despite being so popular, all parts of a privet plant are poisonous to humans and most animals, including domestic dogs and cats. Fortunately, your pet would have to consume pieces of the plant in large quantities to be fatal, but consuming even a leaf or flower could result in gastrointestinal issues.
Best Suited for Warmer Climates
Privet hedges are best suited for warmer climates where they can be green and luscious year-round. Privets are semi-evergreen shrubs, meaning they don’t stay full throughout the year in cooler climates. Some leaves will likely fall when the weather gets cold, making the hedge look bare for part of the year.
High Maintenance
Be ready to tackle regular upkeep and maintenance if you plant privet hedges on your property. These plants are fast-growing and require regular hedge trimming to keep a uniform shape.
Considered an Invasive Species
Privet can grow in all soil types, so they’re considered invasive. This plant is known to take over forested areas, taking over native plants and changing local ecosystems.
Blooms Can Attract Bees
The white flowers that bloom on privet plants are known to attract bees. This may not be the hedge for you if you have bee issues on your property, especially if you have pets, children, or family members who are allergic.
Tips for Growing Privet Hedges
Use the following tips to grow healthy and beautiful privet plants in your yard.
Spacing
Privet hedges grow best when spaced at least 1 foot apart in a trench about 2 feet wide by 2 feet deep.
Soil and Fertilizer
Privet hedges can grow in any soil type. However, you’ll need to fertilize them throughout the spring and into fall (privet growing season).
Light
Privet plants grow best in either full or partial sun. Partial sun requires a plant to be exposed to sunlight between three and six hours a day, while full sun requires six hours minimum.
Water
Young privet plants need deep watering at least once a week—more if the weather has been particularly hot and dry. Mature privet plants are relatively drought tolerant, but keeping their soil from drying out is essential. Whatever soil you use, make sure that it drains water well.
Temperature
Privet plants are known to hold their own in all climates. In most cases, they can withstand below-zero temperatures or extreme heat if they get enough water. However, privet plants will lose their leaves in cooler climates during the fall and winter while staying full and green in warmer climates.
Tips for Maintaining Privet Hedges
Privet hedges require a decent amount of upkeep and maintenance. Use the tips below to keep your hedges looking leafy and uniform.
Trimming
Between prunings, it’s important to do light trims around the top and sides of each hedge so they keep their shape. Regular hedge trimming can even encourage faster growth.
Shaping
Privet hedges are extremely durable and can thrive in any shape you give them. However, many homeowners prefer to keep them boxy with flat tops and sides.
Pruning
Pruning is the process of removing dead branches to keep a plant healthy and growing. The best time to prune a privet hedge is in late fall when flowers stop blooming and before new buds start to grow for the following year.
Kristin Salaky contributed to this piece.
Frequently Asked Questions
Privet plants are known to have a quick growth rate. Privet hedges can grow up to 3 feet per year in the right conditions. With the right maintenance and upkeep schedule, this type of hedge can reach up to 10 feet tall within three years of planting. To help privet hedges grow faster and healthier, water them well during the first two years and regularly weed the surrounding plants and area.
Most full-grown privet species reach 15 feet without trimming. A few privet species can even grow to reach 50 feet tall! You can expect privet hedges to reach heights of up to 10 feet within three years of planting if you maintain a regular watering and trimming routine.
The best time to plant a privet hedge is autumn, ideally October or early November. Fall is the best time to plant privet hedges because young plants need plenty of water to jump-start their growth, and it typically rains more during this season. However, you can also successfully plant privets in the spring.
Plant privet hedges at least 1 foot apart in a trench about 2 feet wide and 2 feet deep. It’s important to space privet hedges relatively far apart due to how quickly they grow to significant sizes and heights. You don’t want to crowd privet plants, or they could overcrowd each other, causing unwanted damage.
There are over 50 varieties of privet plants. The most common privet species include:
Amur Privet (Ligustrum amurense)
Border privet (Ligustrum obtusifolium)
California privet (Ligustrum ovalifolium)
Chinese privet (Lingstrum sinense)
Common privet (Ligustrum vulgare)
Golden privet (Ligustrum ovalifolium)
Privet hedges and trees have a significant lifespan of 20 to 40 years with proper treatment and upkeep. However, drought, pest infestation, or disease can cut a private hedge’s life short. Keep up with regular waterings during the first two years to set your hedge up for success, and maintain a consistent trimming schedule for best results.