Most of the east Asian Privets, as Border & Amur Privets, have flowers and fruit borne auxiliary (on the sides of twigs), but this species bears the flowers and fruit terminally and some upper auxiliary. The European Privet bears its flowers and fruit terminally also. This Chinese Privet is a very invasive, weedy species that infests forest borders in the South and some of the mid-Atlantic. I enjoy cutting it down and axing the base like I do with other Eurasian invasive plants out in nature. There are two variegated foliaged cultivars that are grown in the South as ornamentals. Unfortunately, the variegated forms still give birth to the mother green form from seed and they can revert back to the mother form if not pruned.

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This was introduced into the U.S. from China in 1852. By 1932 it had been so widely planted throughout the southeast that it was considered naturalized. They can reach 10 - 20 feet, but in the landscape, they are frequently sheared into hedges. The leaves are small, less than 2 inches in length, and can be solid green or variegated in color. White flowers in the spring, followed by small blue oval fruit.

This plant has now been added to the noxious weeds list, making it illegal to cultivate, introduce, possess, move, or release without a state or federal permit.

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Honey bees get nectar and pollen from this plant. The honey is said to have an objectionable smell and strong flavor.

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