Ligustrum lucidum

Ligustrum lucidum is an evergreen tree growing to tall and broad. The leaves are opposite, glossy dark green, long and broad. The flowers are similar to other privets, white or near white, borne in panicles, and have a strong fragrance, which some people find unpleasant. ==Distribution==

Native to southern China, it has been naturalized in Spain, Italy, Algeria, Canary Islands, New Zealand, Lesotho, South Africa, Japan, Korea, Australia, Norfolk Island, Chiapas, Central America, Argentina, Uruguay, Southern and Southeastern Brazil and the southern United States (California, Arizona, Maryland, and the southeast from Texas to North Carolina) and also in a small UK village called Lidlington. ==Uses==

Ligustrum lucidum is often used as an ornamental tree, sometimes in variegated forms. It is also one of several species of privet used as dense, evergreen hedges, which can be trained to a specific size and shape by regular pruning. have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. It has become an invasive species in some areas where it has been introduced, such as urban areas in the southeastern United States. It is classed as a noxious weed in New South Wales, Australia, Due to the belief in the berries' ability to nourish the liver, they are also used in the treatment of disorders of the eye involving red or dry eyes, blurred vision, and pain. ==Etymology==

Ligustrum means "binder". The Latin specific epithet lucidum means "bright" or "shiny", referring to the leaves. ==Gallery==

Image:LigustrumLucidumFlowers.jpg|Ligustrum lucidum flowers Image:Ligustrum lucidum berries.jpg|Ligustrum lucidum berries Image:Privet - killed as weeds in an Australian rainforest.jpg|Ligustrum lucidum killed as weeds in an Australian rainforest ==See also==