It is an easy-to-grow shrub that does best in full sun. It is a perfect hedge for the landscapes and provides year-round warmth and beauty to your garden due to its golden foliage. It is a non-invasive and sterile shrub.
It is also great for allergy sufferers because it does not bloom. There are endless benefits of sunshine ligustrum and uses.
Like other plants, it does not require much care and grows quickly in different soils and conditions. This evergreen shrub is really hardy and can be used as hedge, mass planting, accent, and container planting.
It requires moderate water for flourishing and needs fertilization yearly in spring. It is really prune-friendly and you can shape it up easily. In short, sunshine ligustrum is the easy care hedge that you will love to grow.
Your garden is incomplete without privet and this privet is must. We can bet that you have never seen such a beautiful privet like this one before. It is easy to pair with companion plants and you can create different accents with this shrub.
It grows to 5 to 6 feet tall so there is no need to worry about its height or size like other plants that reach to 15 or 20 feet, if left unchecked. You can easily corral sunshine ligustrum and you can beautify it in your own way to show your gardening creativity. It boasts all the visual interests and hedging capabilities.
Well, the credit goes to its yellow foliage and compact size. It doesn’t hold any specific odor or sprawl. So, it won’t create a nuisance for you in the form of headache, flu, or more.
It can tolerate different types of conditions and requires low maintenance and watering. It is one of the easiest shrubs to grow among other plants and trees. Many gardeners love this shrub due to its undemanding nature and versatility.
They are widely used in gardens, landscapes, and so on. You can plant them as shrub borders, patio trees, hedges, and foundation plants. Let’s cover some important things about sunshine ligustrum and how to grow and care for this shrub.
How to grow sunshine ligustrum
Sunshine ligustrum is such an easy and very adaptable shrub. They thrive in humid conditions like partial shade or full sun.
They tolerate moderate amounts of nutrients in the soil and different soil types. Except Chinese shrubs (Ligustrum Sinense), other species grow well in tough and unfavorable conditions.
If you live in the ocean or roadway, then don’t plant this privet due to the higher amount of salt present in these places. Poorly drained soil is not favorable for this shrub because overwatering can kill this plant or create nuisance.
This particular privet offers easy growing opportunity as it requires moderate water supply and full sun. So, it grows healthily and happily in warm and dry conditions. Make sure that the soil has a good draining system in order to achieve brighter and happier golden foliage.
It does not require regular clipping, so you don’t need to worry about it. If the species of sunshine ligustrum is aggressive and spreader, then you must be careful for frequent shearing. If you want to grow in the form of a hedge, then there is no need for shearing.
It also thrives rapidly in containers so that you can add some visual appeal to your garden. These growing tips are enough for mass planting of sunshine ligustrum.
If you are planning to grow a common privet such as L. vulgare then avoid it because of its intrusive nature. Here we are going to discuss some suitable and popular privet that you can consider for planting,
1). Japanese Privet:
It is also called L. japonicum and grows approximately 9 feet tall and 5 feet wide. This privet is mostly used as a screen plant, hedge, or landscape planting. You can easily transform this privet into a beautiful small tree with regular pruning. It does not require specific care and conditions for growing.
2). California Privet:
It is named as L. ovalfolium and reaches nearly 16 feet tall. It is one of the most suitable options for forming a beautiful hedge if you plant closely. Due to its height, it needs regular trimming and produces seedlings that should be eliminated. It is great for large gardens and landscapes.
3). Golden Privet:
L. vicaryl is the name of this privet and grows only 5 to 6 feet tall with stunning yellow foliage. In order to grow it quickly and effectively, try to place this privet in the full sun plant at a specific distance where it does not require regular shearing. It makes wonderful pairings with companion plants and supreme for beautifying your garden.
4). Glossy Privet:
Among all the species, glossy privet or L. lucidum is one of the evergreen privets. It grows 44 to 46 tall, but you can make its shape beautiful with regular pruning. It is one of the most beautiful among all these and a superb choice for making your garden more dramatic.
Planting Tips:
- It is necessary to water the soil before planting sunshine ligustrum.
- Try to plant sunshine ligustrum in the area that receives maximum sunlight or sun.
- Plant sunshine ligustrum 1 to 2-inch above ground soil level.
- Water the soil in order to settle the soil.
- Do not cover the stem area of the sunshine ligustrum.
How to care for sunshine ligustrum?
Sunshine ligustrum grows in dry, humid conditions but they grow amazingly if irrigated dry spells. The best time to fertilize sunshine ligustrum is early spring or late summer. You can fertilize the plant in the summer if you think it is needed.
Try to provide the right balance in the form of 15-5-10 or 15-5-15 for 100 square feet. They form buds for the next year’s flowers after the season. Do not cut the new buds. Just prune adult branches in order to control its height and width. It is such a wonderful thing about sunshine ligustrums that they can bear severe trimming.
Are sunshine ligustrum slow or fast growing privets?
According to horticulturists, sunshine ligustrums are one of the fastest growing shrubs. Different species act accordingly and Japanese privets grow quickly among all of them. So, every shrub grows differently in height and width but you can trim it according to desired shape.
This rapid growth of Japanese privet requires frequent clipping in order to keep them under control. So, we can say that sunshine ligustrum is a fast growing privet and ideal for your gardens, patios, porches, and everything in between.
Sunshine ligustrum in Winter:
It is an ideal plant that can tolerate severe frosty conditions. It grows well in winter too and looks really awesome with wintry plants. You can add some icy touch to your garden or landscape with the help of sunshine ligustrum.
On the other hand, you need to follow some essential tips in terms of watering your plant. Do not provide excess water because rains in winter are enough for this plant.
Sunshine ligustrum in Summer:
Summer is the ideal temperature for the growth of different species of sunshine ligustrum. It can bear harsh weather conditions because it grows quickly in full sun.
It is necessary to water the sunshine ligustrum in the early morning when the sunlight is dim. Avoid watering sunshine ligustrum at night because it can moist soil and the excess water on leaves make them rotten and the risk of leaves dropping increases.
What more could you want from sunshine ligustrum? So, if you are planning to plant sunshine ligustrum in your landscape or garden then go ahead because it does not take much effort.
Conclusion
Sunshine ligustrum is an evergreen shrub that is great for bordering landscapes, patios, porches, and other spaces of your home or garden. It is such a wonderful privet that can be grown in different shapes and its golden-hued leaves make perfect statements on its own and with companion plants.
There are so many characteristics of this shrub that makes it a superb choice for redecorating your garden. It flourishes supremely in full sun and does not bloom at all.
So, it is ideal for those who are prone to allergies. It is a versatile shrub for both smaller and larger garden spaces.
It grows in every soil and environment except poor soil conditions. There are so many species of ligustrum and you can use them to add some pop of shade to your garden. They offer warm and inviting appeal due to their yellow foliage. It is a popular shrub among gardeners and nature lovers.
Whether you are an active gardener or lazy one, you can grow sunshine ligustrum in your garden because it needs very less physical effort and care from you.
Create colorful combos of this plant with companions, especially bold colored foliage such as orange, blues, purples. It is perfect for both matching and contrasting. Enhance your garden’s appeal with the help of sunshine ligustrum and achieve some bold touch.