Culture
Grow in average, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Tolerates wide range of soils. If grown as a hedge, shear plants early and often to encourage dense branching. Specimen plants require very little pruning.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Ligustrum × ibolium is an upright, dense, multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub which grows somewhat rapidly to 8-12' tall. Can be sheared to any height, however. Features elliptic-ovate, glossy green leaves (to 2.5" long) and panicles (to 4" long) of aromatic, tubular-shaped, dull white flowers in late spring. Flowers are attractive to bees and butterflies. Flowers are followed by small, dark, somewhat persistent, berry-like fruits. This hybrid is a cross between L. ovalifolium and L. obtusifolium, and very closely resembles L. ovalifolium except young shoots and midribs of leaf undersides are pubescent.
Genus name comes from the Latin word for privet.
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems.
Uses
Formal or informal hedges. Screens. Shrub border.