Privet is an evergreen broadleaf tree species with strong resistance to pollution.

Privet is an evergreen tree of the genus Ligustrum in the olive family (Oleaceae). 1. Habits: Privet is native to China and Japan. It is light-demanding but tolerant of shade, prefers a warm, humid climate, and is suited to slightly acidic to slightly alkaline or calcareous soils. It can also grow in clayey soil with a salt content of 0.2%, can withstand low temperatures of -12°C, and is not tolerant of poor, thin soils. It is deep-rooted with well-developed fibrous roots, grows quickly, has strong sprouting ability, and tolerates pruning. It is not strict about climate, but is best planted in humid, sheltered, sunny spots, and grows especially well in deep, fertile soil rich in humus. Privet can resist sulfur dioxide and hydrogen fluoride, has some resistance to chlorine gas, and can absorb lead. Its ability to adsorb dust is also very strong: each square meter of leaves can adsorb 6.3 grams of dust. 2. Propagation and seedling raising. (1) Seed collection: Privet flowers from June to July, and the seeds mature from November to December. When ripe, the fruit skin turns black, so it should be harvested at the right time. After the fruit ripens, it does not fall off on its own. You can cut the fruit clusters with long-reach pruners, strip off the fruit, soak the fruit in water, rub off the fruit skin, wash clean, and dry in the shade. If not sown immediately, it can be dried and stored in bags, or stored by mixing 2 parts moist sand with 1 part seeds. 2. Seedling raising: Privet can be propagated by sowing or cuttings, but sowing is more common. (1) Raising seedlings by sowing: Sow from early to mid-March to April. The nursery soil should be loose and fertile. Before sowing, soak the peeled seeds in warm water for one or two days, then sow. Either drilling or broadcasting is fine. For drilling, the row spacing is 20 cm, cover with soil 1.5 to 2 cm deep, and the sowing rate is 7 kg per mu. Because privet takes a long time to emerge, about 1 month, after sowing the seedbed should be covered with grass to preserve moisture. After the seedlings emerge, weeds must be removed in time, and when the seedlings are 5 cm tall, thin them. Young seedlings are afraid of waterlogging, so pay attention to drainage, but they should also be watered when it is excessively dry. Follow routine management with one or two topdressings and weed once a month. One-year-old seedlings can reach 50 cm in height. If growing larger seedlings, they need to be transplanted to another bed, and can leave the nursery after 2 to 4 years. (2) Raising seedlings by cuttings: In November, cut strong branches that grew in spring and bury them for storage. In February or March of the following spring, take them out and insert them as cuttings. The cuttings are 0.3 to 0.4 cm thick, each about 15 to 18 cm long, with a flat cut at the upper end and a slanted cut at the lower end, and one or two leaves retained on the upper part. Insert the cuttings into the soil to 2/3 of their length, with a plant spacing of 10 cm. They root about 2 months after insertion, and the seedlings can reach 70 to 90 cm in height in the same year. 3. Uses: Privet is an excellent landscaping tree species. It can be used as a street tree or garden tree, and can also be used as a hedge. Its crown is round and graceful, its leaves are delicate, and it is evergreen all year round. In the winter in the south, the leaves remain green. It has strong adaptability and fairly strong resistance to a variety of toxic gases, so it can be used as a pollution-resistant tree species in industrial and mining areas. In addition, its leaves are large and its ability to block dust is strong, so it can purify the air and improve air quality.