This Amur Privet (once classified as the species of Ligustrum amurense) is from northern China and southeast Siberia, and named after the Amur River between China & Siberia, was the most commonly planted privet species in the Chicago area from the early 1900's until the 1980's. It has been mostly replaced there by the 'Cheyene' European Privet that has handsomer foliage. There still are some old hedges of Amur privet there, including my old neighbours across the street in the west suburbs of Chicago. It is only offered by a few nurseries and some mail order nurseries as Four seasons Nursery in Bloomington, IL. It is very little different than a few other species of east Asian privet species, as the Border and California Privets, both from Japan. It has the typical about 1 to 2.5 inch long leaves, that are dull green. The twigs are purplish and hairy when young. The black fruit is dull black. The flowers and fruit are borne in auxiliary manner, not terminally. Like the other privets, not a good ornamental shrub, but works well as a sheared hedge.

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