privet bushes

Name: The Plant Company
Address: 284 Meeanee Road, Meeanee, Napier, 4112, New Zealand
Telephone: 0800 843 752
Price range: Contact Us
Rating: 4.8/5

Privet bushes are one of the best choices for New Zealand gardeners looking for fast-growing, hardy, and versatile hedging plants. Famous for their dense, glossy green foliage and their reliability in a variety of conditions, privet bushes are ideal for creating privacy screens, shaping formal hedges, and offering shelter for wildlife in garden landscapes. With their moderate to rapid growth and minimal maintenance needs, privet bushes provide a practical solution for both rural and urban properties, thriving in most soil types and handling regular trimming with ease.

Dodonaea viscosa purpurea shrub with colourful, purple foliage growing an an informal hedge.

Dodonaea viscosa purpurea (Purple Hop Bush)

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Dodonaea viscosa purpurea, commonly known as Purple Ake Ake, features lush, purple leaves which are held densely off upright stems. The foliage is adorned with masses of small, pink flowers in summer as it grows to 4 m tall and 2.5 m wide. Dodonaea purpurea is commonly trimmed into a hedge, grown as an informal hedge, included in mixed or native plantings, used for riparian planting, grown as a screen, or planted as a backdrop for smaller plants. The versatility and excellent aesthetics of this plant make it very popular with landscape designers and gardeners alike.

Buy Dodonaea viscosa purpurea (Purple Hop Bush)

From $23.39

Suited to regions: All regions

Plant type: Shrubs

Height: 4.00 m

Spread: 2.50 m

Flowering time: Summer

Tolerances: Coastal, Extended dry periods, Hardy, Shade, Wet, Wind

Garden uses: Hedging, Living areas, Ponds, Pool areas, Screening

Garden styles: Alpine, Backyard, City & Courtyard, Coastal, Formal, Frontyard, Japanese, Mediterranean, Modern, Native, Riparian

Ligustrum 'Rotundifolium'

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Ligustrum 'Rotundifolium' (Japanese Privet) is a hardy evergreen shrub admired for its rounded glossy green leaves and dense compact growth habit. This versatile plant is widely used in NZ gardens for hedging, screening, and formal planting where year round structure and privacy are desired. It responds well to trimming and forms a tidy attractive hedge with minimal effort. Ligustrum 'Rotundifolium' is easy to grow, tolerant of a range of conditions, and highly valued for its reliability, fast growth, and low maintenance nature.

Buy Ligustrum 'Rotundifolium'

From $24.77

Suited to regions: Subtropical, Temperate

Plant type: Shrubs

Height: 1.50 m

Spread: 1.00 m

Flowering time: Summer

Tolerances: Coastal, Hardy

Garden uses: Containers, Hedging, Living areas, Pool areas, Topiary

Garden styles: Architectural, Backyard, City & Courtyard, Coastal, Formal, Frontyard, Japanese, Modern, Rock

Dodonaea viscosa purpurea (Purple Hop Bush)

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You might be interested in exploring related Latin Names - Buddleia, Clerodendrum, Convolvulus, Coprosma, Dodonaea, Gooseberry, Ligustrum, Muehlenbeckia, Salvia, Streptosolen Teucrium and Viburnum, or related Categories - Gooseberry Plants, Perennials Deciduous Shrubs and Evergreen Shrubs.

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Benefits of Growing Privet Bushes in New Zealand

Privet bushes shine in New Zealand’s diverse climate. Their adaptability to wind, drought, and varying sun levels makes them a favourite among both beginner and experienced gardeners. Privet’s compact habit forms an effective privacy or wind barrier, blocking out noise and sheltering delicate plants. Their evergreen leaves ensure year-round cover, and their dense growth habit makes it easy to achieve a lush, clipped hedge. Many gardeners also appreciate the delicate white flowers in late spring and summer, which attract pollinators like bees and butterflies.

Popular Types of Privet Bushes

Several privet varieties are specially suited to New Zealand gardens. The classic Ligustrum vulgare (Common Privet) is a timeless hedging shrub, known for its rapid growth and resilience, making it popular for large-scale screening. Ligustrum sinense (Chinese Privet) is another fast-growing option, well-suited for more informal or natural-looking boundaries. Ligustrum undulatum (Box Leaf Privet) features small, box-like leaves and is ideal for neat, formal hedges or topiary shapes.

For those seeking something a bit different, Ligustrum Rotundifolium (Ligustrum japonicum) offers rounded, glossy leaves and a robust growth habit. It’s especially attractive in more ornamental settings. If you need a larger specimen or even a small shade tree, consider Ligustrum lucidum (Tree Privet), which grows taller than other varieties and offers an elegant, layered appearance.

How to Plant and Care for Privet Bushes

Privet bushes are easy to grow and maintain. Choose a well-drained site with full sun to partial shade for best results. Dig a hole twice as wide as the rootball, and enrich the soil with compost if needed. Space plants according to your chosen variety (usually 50cm to 1m apart) for a dense, seamless hedge. Water your privet bushes regularly during their first growing season to establish strong roots.

Trim privet regularly in spring and summer to keep hedges tidy and encourage branched, leafy growth. They respond well to hard pruning if you need to reduce their size or rejuvenate older bushes. Privet is generally disease-resistant and trouble-free, requiring only occasional feeding with a balanced, slow-release fertiliser.

Find the Best Privet Bushes for Your Garden

Whether you’re starting a new boundary hedge, refreshing an old screen, or seeking a hardy living wall, privet bushes are a reliable and attractive choice for New Zealand gardens. Explore classic varieties like Ligustrum vulgare (Common Privet), the adaptable Ligustrum sinense (Chinese Privet), or the decorative Ligustrum Rotundifolium (Ligustrum japonicum) to find the perfect privet for your needs. With minimal care, your new hedge will thrive and create a beautiful, green backdrop for years to come.

Contact us

Whether you need assistance finding the plant you’re looking for or you simply want to know more about who we are and what we do, we invite you to get in touch with us today. A member of The Plant Company team will get back in touch as soon as possible.