A Detailed Guide to the Distribution Range and Growth Habits of Privet

Other Names for Privet

Pointed-leaf privet, also called white wax tree, wintergreen, wax tree, nü zhen, zhen mu, and general tree.

Growth Habits of Privet

Privet has good cold tolerance and tolerates waterlogged conditions; it prefers a warm, humid climate and likes sunlight while tolerating shade. It is a deep-rooted tree species with well-developed fibrous roots, fast growth, strong sprouting ability, and tolerance to pruning, but it does not tolerate poor, barren soil.

It has relatively strong resistance to air pollution and strong resistance to sulfur dioxide, chlorine gas, hydrogen fluoride, and lead vapor; it can also tolerate relatively high dust and soot pollution.

It is not strict about climate requirements and can withstand low temperatures of -12°C, but it is suitable for planting in humid, wind-sheltered, sunny places, especially growing well in deep, fertile soil with high humus content.

The Flower Language of Privet

The fruit of privet has the characteristic of not falling from the branches throughout the entire winter. When birds have no feed and are suffering from hunger, the fruit of the wintergreen tree can just sustain life. Therefore, the flower language of the wintergreen tree is life.

The Value of Privet

Ornamental value: privet can be planted alone or in groups in courtyards, and can also be used as a street tree. Because of its strong adaptability, fast growth, and tolerance to pruning, it is also used as a hedge. Generally, after 3 to 4 years it can take shape and achieve a screening effect.

Medicinal value: after privet leaves are soaked for 24 hours, fragrant wintergreen oil can be extracted by distillation; it is often added to sweets and toothpaste.

Common Varieties of Privet

1. Tall-stem privet / wintergreen tree

It is an evergreen large shrub or tree, with grayish-brown bark that is smooth and not fissured. The leaves are 8-12 cm long, leathery and glossy, and remain green through the winter. It has the function of retaining dust and resisting smoke, can absorb sulfur dioxide, and is suitable for factory and mining area and urban greening. It is one of the rare evergreen broad-leaved tree species in the north.

2. Large-leaf privet (large-leaf privet ball / large-leaf privet tree / Dafeng large-leaf privet base variety)

Deciduous or semi-evergreen shrub, with spreading branches and short pubescence on the branchlets. Leaves thinly leathery, elliptical to obovate-oblong, hairless, apex blunt, base wedge-shaped, entire, margins slightly revolute outward; petioles have short pubescence. Panicle; flowers white, fragrant, sessile, corolla lobes equal in length to the tube; anthers exceeding the corolla lobes. Drupe elliptical, purplish-black. Flowering period July--August.

3. Golden-leaf privet (golden-leaf privet ball / golden-leaf privet tree / tall-stem golden-leaf privet)

Golden-leaf privet has golden-yellow leaf color, and the color is even more brilliant and beautiful, especially in spring and autumn. Golden-leaf privet likes sunlight, has relatively poor shade tolerance, medium cold tolerance, and strong adaptability. It is not strict about soil requirements, but loose, fertile, well-aerated sandy loam is best. It is used for forming characters or patterns in green squares and plazas, and can also be used for small courtyard decoration.

4. Red-leaf privet (purple-leaf privet)

Evergreen small tree, with simple opposite leaves, branchlets slightly pubescent, leaves ovate, ovate-rounded to ovate-elliptical, thinly leathery. The leaf shape is very similar to that of small-leaf privet, with stronger sprouting ability, relatively fast growth, and vigorous growth. Its new shoots and young leaves are purplish-red, and against the older leaves they appear even more bright and dazzling. If pruned several times, the new branches become dense, and the entire crown appears purplish-red, making it even more brilliant and striking among green plant groups. After winter begins, the whole plant again appears purplish-black, making it even more conspicuous among all things.

5. Variegated privet

Deciduous or semi-evergreen shrub, with spreading branches and short pubescence on the branchlets. Leaves thinly leathery, elliptical to obovate-oblong, hairless, apex blunt, base wedge-shaped, entire, margins slightly revolute outward; petioles have short pubescence. Panicle; flowers white, fragrant, sessile, corolla lobes equal in length to the tube; anthers exceeding the corolla lobes. Drupe elliptical, purplish-black. Flowering period July--August.

6. Red-fruit privet (red-fruit wintergreen)

Distributed in the high-cold region of the Luoxiao Mountains at 1500 m, evergreen shrub or small tree, 5-7 m tall, young branches and pedicels purplish-red, leaves elliptical, 6-8 cm long and 3-4 cm wide, pale purplish-red. In areas of Beijing with good microclimate, it can be cultivated entirely in the open field, and can resist sulfur dioxide, chlorine gas, and hydrogen oxide. It grows normally in alkaline soil with a pH value of 8-9.