05/13/2026
This stuff has taken over so much of our beautiful area. Let us help you eradicate yours!
Invasive Species PSA:
Chinese Privet (Ligustrum sinense)
Chinese Privet (Ligustrum sinense) might once have been a go-to choice for hedges and privacy screens, but it’s now one of the most damaging invasive plants in the Southeastern United States...including right here in Alabama. This fast-growing shrub has escaped cultivation and now forms dense, impenetrable thickets in forests, floodplains, and along creeks, pushing out native species and transforming entire ecosystems.
❓Why is Chinese Privet a Problem?
~Forms dense monocultures that crowd out native wildflowers, shrubs, and young trees
~Alters soil composition and moisture, affecting native seed germination
~Reduces food and habitat for native pollinators and wildlife
~Can regrow aggressively after cutting or burning, making it hard to control
~Spreads by birds, which eat the berries and disperse seeds over large areas
❓How Did It Get Here?
Native to China, Chinese Privet was introduced to the U.S. in the 1800s for landscaping and erosion control. Unfortunately, it quickly proved too aggressive for containment. Today, it dominates forests, old fields, wetlands, and urban greenways—especially in warm, moist climates like Alabama’s.
🚫Ecological Impact:
Chinese Privet significantly reduces biodiversity. It forms a dense understory that prevents native plants from regenerating and shades out spring ephemerals that pollinators rely on. Over time, these infestations create “green deserts”—places where few native species can survive.
❗❗According to the U.S. Forest Service:
❌Invasive species are a major factor in the decline of 42% of endangered and threatened species
❌They compete for light, water, nutrients, and space, degrading the quality of entire ecosystems
❓What You Can Do:
~Avoid planting any type of privet, even so-called “sterile” cultivars can become invasive
~Remove existing plants by cutting and treating stumps with herbicide
~Restore cleared areas with native shrubs like Southern Arrowwood (Viburnum dentatum), American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana), or Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana)
~Join or support local invasive plant removal efforts to restore native habitats
Chinese Privet might be green year-round, but it’s anything but good for Alabama’s environment. Help protect our forests, wetlands, and wildlife by removing this harmful invader and planting native.
