Walton's Plant Library

Other Names:  Waxleaf Privet

Description:

A very dense variety that makes a great hedge or screen, as well as an accent or container planting; deep green, glossy foliage is wavy and genly curled, creating great texture; best in full sun; highly adaptable

Ornamental Features

Curled-Leaf Japanese Privet features showy panicles of lightly-scented white flowers at the ends of the branches in mid spring. It has dark green evergreen foliage. The recurved oval leaves remain dark green throughout the winter.

Landscape Attributes

Curled-Leaf Japanese Privet is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Curled-Leaf Japanese Privet is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use
• Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens
• Topiary
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Curled-Leaf Japanese Privet will grow to be about 8 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 6 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 30 years.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist growing conditions, but will not tolerate any standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for xeriscaping or the moisture-conserving landscape. It is not particular as to soil type or pH, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.

Curled-Leaf Japanese Privet makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.