Ligustrum sinense aka Chinese Privet

Ligustrum sinense, also known as Chinese privet or L. villosum, is a species of privet native to China, Taiwan, and Vietnam. It is a compact, rounded, evergreen shrub that grows to around 1.2m tall and wide. The leaves are small, oval, and range in color from golden-yellow to yellow-green. This particular cultivar is sterile and does not produce flowers. L. sinense is commonly cultivated as an ornamental plant and for hedges, and it is also popular as a bonsai tree. It is a deciduous shrub that can reach heights of 2–7 m. The shoots are densely hairy, and the leaves are opposite, with a length of 2–7 cm and a width of 1–3 cm. The flowers are white, with a four-lobed corolla measuring 3.5–5.5 mm in length. The fruit is subglobose, about 5–8 mm in diameter, and considered poisonous. While L. sinense was introduced to North America for use as hedges and landscaping, it has since escaped cultivation and become an invasive plant in the southeastern states. It is estimated that Chinese privet now occupies over one million hectares of land across 12 states, ranging from Virginia to Florida and west to Texas. This invasive species has had detrimental effects on biodiversity and forest health in the region.