Green Privet

Green Privet (Ligustrum ovalifolium) is the fastest route to a crisp clipped hedge, which is why it has been the default formal hedge in Australian gardens for a century. Untrimmed it makes a 3.5m by 2.5m shrub, though almost everyone holds it between 1m and 2m. One thing to check first: privet is a declared weed in parts of Australia, so confirm your local council's rules before you plant it.

Why you'll love it

• It closes a boundary fast. From tube stock at 60cm spacing, expect a solid 1.5m screen inside two growing seasons.
• It takes a sharp edge. Small oval leaves and tight branching mean shears leave a clean line, not a row of cut half leaves.
• It grows where good soil does not. Poor ground, compacted clay, coastal salt spray and drought barely register once the roots are down.
• It recovers from anything. Cut a neglected privet hedge back to bare stumps and it reshoots from old wood within a season.

Where it works best

Formal hedging. Plant 60cm apart in a single row. That is tighter than most hedges because the plan is a clipped wall, not a row of shrubs, and close spacing builds a solid base early.

Screening and privacy. Held at 2m to 2.5m it blocks a neighbouring window without the width a lilly pilly needs. For a taller screen, run a second staggered row 60cm behind the first.

Growing Green Privet in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the densest hedge; part shade works but the growth opens up. It handles frost, heat and coastal exposure across subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens. In the wet tropics it grows too hard to stay tidy.

Soil. Almost anything, including poor and compacted ground. Drainage still helps, so break up the base of the trench and work compost through the backfill. Mulch 75mm deep along the row.

Water and feed. Water deeply twice a week through the first summer, then only in extended dry spells. A complete slow release fertiliser in early spring and midsummer keeps the leaf deep green.

Pruning. This is the trade for the speed: two to four trims a year in a warm garden, starting the day you plant. Trimming before it flowers also stops the plant setting the berries that spread it into bushland.

What to expect when it arrives

Green Privet is grown in one size, tube stock, the normal way to buy a long hedge run. Plants arrive young and single stemmed, usually 15cm to 25cm tall, with a well developed root system. They look small at first, and that is the point: tube stock establishes faster than a larger pot and catches up within a season.

Tip prune from the day you plant, because early trimming builds a dense base rather than leggy stems. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, and every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Fast growing hedges for Australian gardens
• Alternative hedging plants worth comparing
• Screening plants that finish at 2m to 4m
• Browse the hedging and screening range

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

Sixty centimetres apart in a single row for a formal clipped hedge. For a looser informal screen you can stretch that to 80cm, though it will take an extra season to knit.

Is privet restricted where I live?

It can be. Privet is a declared weed in several regions, with rules varying by state and council. Check your local government weed list before ordering, and if it is restricted, look at the alternative hedging plants linked above.

Will it set off hay fever?

The flowers are a well known hay fever trigger in spring. Trimming before it flowers removes almost all of the pollen and stops the berries forming, so a clipped hedge causes far less trouble than one left to grow.

Is it safe around pets?

No. The leaves and berries are toxic to cats and dogs if eaten. Rake up clippings rather than leaving them within reach.