About that hedge...
Japanese and Chinese waxleaved privets ( Ligustrum japonicumandL.lucidum) ( Japanese en Chinese liguster in Afrikaans) Category 1b in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North-West and Western Cape; Category 3 in the Free State, Gauteng and Northern Cape.
What do they look like?
Large trees 5-10m tall, but often present in all size classes, from seedlings to old trees. The leaves are thick and leathery, and a dark, glossy green. Flowers are borne in terminal white sprays (summer), followed by heavy clusters of small, grape-like, purple berries that often weigh the branches down (autumn). It can be difficult to separate the two species. As a result we have included both here, and most privets encountered in Grahamstown are one of these.
They are common garden and street trees in urban areas in southern, central and eastern South Africa, and in farm gardens. They are commonly used as hedging. Another three species of privet (Californian privet L. ovalifolium, Chinese privet L. sinense and common Privet L. vulgare) are also listed as invasive species in South Africa, and have the same Provincial Category listings as Japanese and Chinese wax-leaved privets.
Where do they come from?
Japan, the Korean Peninsula and China.
Why are they bad?
Privets in general produce huge quantities of fruit that birds relish and therefore spread far and wide. By favouring privet fruit over indigenous, privets detract birds from rather spreading the seeds of indigenous trees. Privets outcompete indigenous vegetation, and particularly favour watercourses. At present in our area their impacts are mostly in the urban sphere, but that might change over time, for instance, the risk of spreading downstream from Grahamstown along the Blaauwkranz River. In one average-sized Grahamstown garden we removed around 80 privet saplings.
Both wax-leaved privets are also invasive in southern US, and (either together or individually) are also invasive in Central America, parts of South America, elsewhere in southern Africa, northern Africa, southern Europe, Australia, and numerous island groups.
How can I control them?
Larger plants are best felled (the wood is soft, so working with these trees is not difficult); ring-barking does not seem to be very successful with larger trees.
Stumps need to be treated with a suitable herbicide to prevent regrowth and coppicing. Small plants can be handpulled, or cut at the base and treated with a suitable herbicide. The profusion of seeds in the ground means that follow-up will be necessary to hand-weed the thousands of emerging seedlings that will come up later; the seeds are viable for a number of years, so regular check-ups will be necessary.
What can I replace them with?
We are blessed with incredible indigenous tree diversity in the Eastern Cape.
As a result there is any number of replacement options for privets. For hedging, consider cat-thorn ( Scutia myrtina): it prunes into shape well, is thorny (added bonus), has white flowers, and also produces purple fruits that birds enjoy. For large shade trees consider Cape Ash ( Ekebergia capensis), Wild Plum ( Harpephyllum caffrum), Cape Beech ( Rapanea melanophloeos) and Red Beech ( Protorhus longifolia), among many other op- tions; Cape Ash, Cape Beech and Red Beech also have white flowers and purple fruits. For the sprays of white flower effect, consider common wild elder ( Nuxia congesta), forest elder ( N. floribunda), bushman’s tea ( Catha edulis), red alder ( Cunonia capensis) and white pear ( Apodytes dimidiata; this tree also has purple fruits). For the purple berry effect, in addition to the above-mentioned options, consider umdoni ( Syzygium cordatum) and African wild olive ( Olea europaea subsp. africana). • For alien invasive species advice, property assessments, alien control plans, practical implementation of control actions, as well as indigenous replacement recommendations and planting actions, contact The Alien SWAT Team (Pty) Ltd: Dr Ralph Clark 072 439 8981, Mr Timothy Mattison 060 527 7816; thealienswatteam@gmail.com