Ligustrum ovalifolium

California privet

Family: Oleaceae · Type: shrub · Not Native

California privet is a naturalized shrub found in northern coastal, central coastal, and Sacramento Valley regions in alder woodlands, thickets, and disturbed areas at elevations below 300 meters. Flowering from July to August, this plant produces white flowers in clusters with narrow tube-like corollas. Growing to approximately 4 meters tall with an evergreen habit, the shrub develops dense, upright branching. Its leaves are oval-shaped, 4 to 10 centimeters long with acute to obtuse bases and tips, arranged oppositely on branches. When mature, the shrub produces small white flowers with stamens emerging from narrow corolla tubes.

Habitat: Alder woodland, thickets, disturbed areas

Bloom period: Jul-Aug

Elevation: < 300 m

Bioregions: NCo, ScV, CCo

California counties: Marin, Contra Costa, Humboldt, Mendocino, Santa Barbara, San Diego

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.