Common Juniper vs Wild Privet - TreeTime.ca

Common Juniper vs Wild Privet

Juniperus communis

Ligustrum vulgare

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Common Juniper
Wild Privet

Common Juniper is a wide spreading, coniferous shrub with scaly needles and small, berry-like cones. Used as a landscaping shrub, it typically grows 3 or 4 feet tall and will not spread like Creeping Juniper.

You can plant Common Juniper near building foundations or beneath larger trees to provide year-round color and texture to your yard with minimal maintenance.

Wild Privet is a fast growing ornamental shrub that is well suited for forming hedges and privacy screens. It will retain its leaves in warmer climates but drops them in colder areas. They have small white flowers, though the smell is often considered unpleasant. While the berries are inedible, they are a good food source for many bird species.

It is recommended to prune Wild Privet immediately after flowering, as it can readily self seed. It is deer and rabbit tolerant. It can grow in dry areas, on slopes, and withstand the wind making it well suited for many growing conditions.

Common Juniper Quick Facts

Wild Privet Quick Facts

Zone: 1a
Zone: 5a
Height: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Height: 3 m (10 ft)
Spread: 3 m (10 ft)
Spread: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: fast
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Suckering: none
Suckering: medium
Maintenance: high


Toxicity: If ingested, all parts of this plant will cause severe discomfort. Toxic to dogs, cats, and horses
Fall colour: green
Flowers: white
Berries: black
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Other Names: common privet, european privet