Newest Edition -recently collected privet

This is the specimen from the "new privets survival thread " just thought id show people and see what they think .

Lots of potential!

John Quinn wrote:Lots of potential!

And how!

Have you met Tony Tickle yet, Robert? That one is right up his street.

Do you know what variety of Privet (Ligustrum) you have there? I ask because Ligustrums have smooth bark & I've never seen that type on one. The bark has a Boxwood look to me.

Joey, most privet here is Ligustrum ovalifolium and it is a standard hedging plant in UK gardens. As they get bigger (and I'd guess the hedge was about 6feet tall and has been around for over 50years) they do develop a flaky gnarled bark. Also, it would be very unusual to get a Buxus (usually sempervirens here) with that size of trunk in the UK. It is not commonly used as a hedging plant for anything other than parterres and topiary.

Here are some hastily snapped pics of the bark on my own privet raw material which is of similar size to Robert's and is also an ex-hedge. Sorry for pic quality - it's after midnight here and is dark.

a good material! congratulation and thanks for sharing
regards
biugbabol

Thanks for clearing that up Fiona. After all the smooth barked varieties I've found here (japonica, sinensis, vulgare), I'd LOVE to find one with that flaky bark, thanks for taking the time to snap some shots. Awesome material, both Robert's and yours, urban collecting at its finest!

Thanks for the comments . Yes ive never seen a privet with such knarled bark i am very excited about it .
Fiona i think these were planted the same time the houses were built which apparantly is around 1937 so would make it approximately 65 years old .
Yes i have met Tony (lovely chap) i actually collected this tree a few days after going round to his place and meeting him for the first time ...
The wait for the buds begins but i was wondering will i get buds this late into the summer?

Robert

Nothing surprises me about privet growth spurts - especially given the number of times I have to cut the hedges in my garden (I have 4ft high privet on one side and 6foot high on another) just after you think it couldn't possibly grow again 'til next year. I'm chucking feed at mine like it was going out of fashion and it seems to be putting out a few new shoots so you might get lucky down where you are.

Please let us see the pics once it starts growing. It's a great bit of material.

thanks for the in put Fiona

I have buds coming through on this now