Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Oleaceae
Tribe: Oleeae
Genus: Ligustrum
Species: L. japonicum
Binomial name: Ligustrum japonicum
Cultivar name: Ligustrum japonicum ‘Rotundifolium’
Common names: Japanese privet, Wax-leaf privet, Curlyleaf ligustrum
Ligustrum japonicum is a tree native to central and southern Japan and Korea. Ligustrum japonicum ‘Rotundifolium’ is a cultivar which has been selected for garden use. It is a bushy, evergreen, slow growing shrub that can reach a height of 1.5 m and a spread of 1 m. It has dark green, stiff, glossy, rounded, upright, curly, whorled leaves.
In early summer it bears large, upright, conical panicles (>20 cm long) of creamy white flowers. These are followed by oval-round, green drupes that turn black when ripe.
Warning: The leaves and the berries are poisonous if indigested due to the toxic glycosides of ligustrin, shikimic acid and others. The symptoms of ingestion are abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, headache, weakness, low blood pressure, cold and clammy skin possibly lasting 48 to 72 hours.
A growing in Tupare Public Gardens, New Plymouth, Taranaki
The flowers have a heavy perfume some people dislike but it attracts nectar-seeking insects.
Thanks to Wikipedia for text and information: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0
