Skaneateles Conservation Area/Invasive species/Ligustrum

<< Prohibited invasive plants at the SCA Ligustrum spp. (privets) Privet (in one or more Ligustrum species) is very common at the Skaneateles Conservation Area. In some areas it's quite dense. In general, the several privet species, none of which are native to the western hemisphere, have been found to be invasive, and some are quite difficult to control where they have naturalized. The New York Flora Atlas reports that Ligustrum obtusifolium (border privet) is by far the most common and invasive of the naturalized privets, but that Ligustrum vulgare (European privet) can be locally quite aggressive as well.Flora of New York/Lamiales 1. (2021, June 25). Wikibooks, The Free Textbook Project. Ligustrum sp. Privetyoung twigs &stalks of floral paniclesfloral-paniclelengthcorolla lobe totube length ratiotube lengthL. vulgarecommon privethairless or minutely pubescentlonger than 2"~1/12.5 - 3 mmL. obtusifoliumborder privetconspicuously hairy1" to 2" long1/3 - 2/35 - 8 mm Invasiveness ranking for Ligustrum spp. (privets) The relative maximum score for the two privets evaluated in 2008 was: Ligustrum obtusifolium (border privet) - 76.67% (high)Ligustrum obtusifolium Steve Glenn, Gerry Moore February 19, 2009 (prohibited in New York by state lawNew York Codes, Rules and Regulations, Title 6 Section 575.3 - Prohibited invasive species) Ligustrum vulgare (common privet) - 67.82% (moderate)Ligustrum vulgare Gerry Moore February 11, 2009 Ecological impact Ligustrum spp. (all privets): Form dense thickets that shade out and take the place of native shrubs and herbaceous plants. Make conditions unsuitable for native seedlings. Phenolic compounds in the leaves protect plants from leaf-feeding insects which include native herbivorous speciesJil K. Swearingen & Julie Slacum (2010). "Privets" in Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas, 4th ed. National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Washington, DC. p. 71. Ligustrum obtusifolium (border privet): Can form exceptionally large stands, which reduce light availability and eliminate layers below.Michael S. Batcher (2000). Element stewardship abstract for Ligustrum spp. - Privet. The Nature Conservancy,Arlington, VA. May outcompete native shrubs in regenerating communities and remain persistent in these areas thus resulting in significant reduction in the populations sizes of these native species. Ligustrum vulgare (common privet): Dense growth clearly limits light availability to layers below thus influencing ecosystem processes to a minor degree. Biological characteristics and dispersal ability Ligustrum spp. (all privets) Resprout readily and produce fairly abundant seed with high viability, but may produce less fruit in low-light situations. Ligustrum obtusifolium: Birds consume fruits and spread seeds long distances; vegetative spread through root suckering. Formerly sold as an ornamental landscape plant and used for waste landfill remediationKee Dae Kim & Eun Ju Lee (2005). "Potential tree species for use in the restoration of unsanitary landfills." Environmental Management 36: 1–14. but now prohibited in NY. Disposal of yard waste and highway maintenance may transfer seeds. Ecological amplitude and distribution Difficulty of control Referenced for invasiveness ranking Observations of Ligustrum spp. (privets) at the SCA 69819 Ligustrum