Ligustrum japonicum

Ligustrum japonicum is a small evergreen tree that originates from Japan and Korea. Its adult height is about 6–7 meters, and its round canopy’s diameter is 3–4 meters. Its growth is dense and bushy with a great number of branches that extend from the base of the plant. The branches have a smooth, bright gray-brown bark. Its foliage is handsome in its texture and bright green color. Its growth rate is fast, and it has a medium lifespan. In spring, it has a sparse flowering of white flowers. It doesn’t have a lot of visual impact, but the flowers are fragrant and have a nectar that attracts bees. Its fruits actually are visually attractive. Clusters that begin in fall and remain for most of winter. At first they are green, and then they ripen into a dark purple. This is a strong tree that can withstand winds and is resistant to air pollution. Therefore, it is excellent for planting in urban conditions. It excels in climatic sensitivity. It is very resistant to hot and cold conditions, including frosts and heatwaves. It grows in almost all types of soil, except for saline or chalky ones. Therefore, it is well-suited to all areas in the country except for the Jordan Valley and the Aravah. Regular watering in summer will contribute to the tree’s fresh appearance.

It is suitable for planting in private gardens of any size, and it is a handsome addition to any urban landscape. On its own or in a group, when it works well to provide privacy. It is convenient to design and prune as a solitary plant, as a hedge or as a dense group. The tree can be designed with its canopy near to the ground or elevated atop multiple trunks. If you want to give it the appearance of a tree and not a shrub, prune it in its first years in a way that will raise the canopy, and make sure to remove offshoots.

Another species exists in Israel, Lagerstroemia lucidum. It has a similarity with Ligustrum japonicum, but its leaves are larger than that of japonicum, and its inflorescence is denser and more prominent.