# wax-leaf ligustrum (*Ligustrum japonicum*)

The wax-leaf ligustrum is a lovely shrub with shiny, green leaves. It can grow tall and is often used to make gardens beautiful and green all year round.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Urban areas

![wax-leaf ligustrum](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Ligustrum_japonicum_01.jpg&width=800)

Photo: José Luis Gálvez, CC BY-SA 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ligustrum_japonicum_01.jpg)

## Appearance

The wax-leaf ligustrum has glossy, dark green oval leaves that look like they've been polished with wax, staying vibrant year-round. It often grows as a dense shrub or small tree, displaying upright clusters of small, fragrant white flowers followed by dark blue to black berries.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Lamiales
- **Family:** Oleaceae
- **Genus:** Ligustrum

## Interesting facts

- Birds and animals safely eat its berries, but they are toxic to humans!
- It can grow into a small tree or be easily trimmed into neat hedges.
- Its shiny leaves help it shed water easily, keeping them clean!
- This plant traveled from Asia to become a popular garden plant worldwide.

## Special abilities

- **Evergreen Shield:** Wax-leaf ligustrum has tough, waxy leaves that stay green all year, helping it keep making food even in colder months.
- **Super Survivor:** Wax-leaf ligustrum can grow quickly and withstand many tough conditions, allowing it to thrive in different environments.
- **Berry Beacon:** Wax-leaf ligustrum produces dark berries that attract hungry birds, helping to spread its seeds far and wide.
- **Scented Signal:** Wax-leaf ligustrum releases a strong, sweet scent from its white flowers, calling insects to help with pollination.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 200-400 cm
- **Spread:** 200-400 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late spring to early summer
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** Moderate
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — visits flowers for nectar
- **Eaten by:** [American Robin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-robin) (*Turdus migratorius*) — eats its dark berries
- **Eaten by:** [Northern Mockingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-mockingbird) (*Mimus polyglottos*) — feeds on berries
- **Depends on:** Longtailed Mealybug (*Pseudococcus longispinus*) — sucks sap from leaves

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground.
- [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once.
- [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period.
- [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always wash your hands after touching plants, just to be safe!

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify wax-leaf ligustrum?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is wax-leaf ligustrum?

200-400 cm

### How wide does wax-leaf ligustrum spread?

200-400 cm

### How big are the flowers on wax-leaf ligustrum?

0.5-1 cm

### When does wax-leaf ligustrum bloom?

Late spring to early summer

### Is wax-leaf ligustrum edible?

No

### Is wax-leaf ligustrum toxic?

Moderate

### What is wax-leaf ligustrum's lifecycle?

Perennial

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Wax-leaf Ligustrum: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/wax-leaf-ligustrum)