 
History and Description
The Japanese privet, an ornamental shrub, was originally from Japan and
Korea. It was established in the United States in the mid 1840s, brought in as
an easier-to-grow, more pest-free privet to replace common privet. The Japanese
privet is an evergreen color in the summer and blue black in the winter. This
plant has smaller and thinner leaves.
Uses
The Japanese privet is used frequently in landscaping because it grows easily
and its glossy shrubbery is visually appealing. Several types of wildlife feed
off of the privet. Birds, raccoon, and white-tailed deer eat its leaves and
fruit.
Reproduction
Bird help spread the seeds of the Japanese privet. They help fertilize the seeds
and help it reproduce.
Ecological
Threat
The Japanese Privet forms dense thickets that are
impenetrable. This keeps
more desirable native plants from growing in the forest under-story. It
overruns river bottoms, woods, fencerows, and the edges of forests.
Control
When the
Japanese privet is a seedling you can pull it up by hand. When it is an older
plant you have to cut it down and immediately plant a herbicide.
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