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What Is The Extent and Consequences of Ligustrum
sinense Invasion
By Alex Neville
Origins
Ligustrum sinense is commonly known as Chinese Privet.
Introduced to the US in 1850
Uses
Ornamental Hedge, Mass Plantings, Single for floral displays
Plant Characteristics
Member of the Olive Family (Oleacea) Flowers in May Fruit is toxic to humans Cause symptoms such as nausea, headache,
abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, and low blood pressure and body temperature
Floral odors cause respiratory irritation
The Threat
Rapid maturation Prolific seed production Reproduce vegetatively using suckers Can tolerate wide range of light and soil
conditions Quickly invades disturbed habitats
Newly Colonized Areas
The rapid and recent spread in Oklahoma
Expansion
Chinese Privet is thought to have escaped cultivation by the 1930’s
Current Distribution
Effects
Has the ability to out-compete and eventually displace other plant species
Can reduce plant diversity Can therefore reduce the diversity of plant-
dependent species
Specific Cases
According to the U.S. Fish and Wild Life Service Chinese Privet is one of the major factors pushing Schweintz’s Sunflower towards extinction.
Specific Cases
A study done in the UCA Nature Preserve found 19 out of 20 randomly selected 3 m by 3 m plots in the riparian zone contained privet
Specific Cases
Effects of Ligustrum sinense Lour. (Chinese Privet) on Abundance and Diversity of Songbirds and Native Plants in a Southeastern Nature Preserve by Joshua Wilcox and Christopher Beck
“In contrast, abundance and richness of native plants were reduced in high privet-density plots. Our results suggest that removal of privet would improve native plant communities.”
Control
Extremely difficult once privet is established Due to:
– Large seedbank– Seeds are spread by birds– Need to remove underground parts as well
Control
When in small numbers, removal by hand Direct herbicide treatments Basal-bark or cut-surface treatments Must avoid disturbance for a year afterwards, to allows
the herbicide to take out the whole plant Most effective treatment is cutting, then application of
herbicide to the stump Fire is not feasible, since the disturbance it provides
allow for increased invasion by privet.– Do UCA prairie burns aid in expanding privet populations?
Controls
Biological controls Macrophya punctumalbum is a known pest in
Europe Privet is susceptible to Pseudocercospora
ligustri, which causes fungal leaf spot Also vulnerable to common root crown
bacteria, Agrobacterium tume-faciens
Summary
Chinese Privet is a highly invasive exotic species The plant has spread through most of the southeast Consequences of invasion are reduced plant diversity Reduction of privet numbers is essential to maintain
diversity Control of privet populations is very difficult and labor
intensive Best control is cutting the plant, and then applying
herbicide to the stump
Sources
http://www.bioone.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1656%2F1528-7092(2007)6%5B535%3AEOLSLC%5D2.0.CO%3B2&ct=1
http://plants.usda.gov/plantguide/doc/pg_lisi.doc http://www.invasive.org/eastern/species/3035.html http://www.thewildclassroom.com/biodiversity/problemp
lants/species/Chinese%20Privet.htm