Ligustrum lucidum
Ligustrum lucidum
Safety & Hazards
The fruit is mildly toxic[ 238 Title Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Publication Author Bown. D. Publisher Dorling Kindersley, London. Year 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31 Description A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant. ]. Although no other reports of toxicity have been seen for this species, it is quite probable that other parts of the plant also contain toxins[ 65 Title A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Publication Author Frohne. D. and Pfänder. J. Publisher Wolfe Year 1984 ISBN 0723408394 Description Brilliant. Goes into technical details but in a very readable way. The best work on the subject that I've come across so far. ].
Botanical Description
Ligustrum lucidum is an evergreen shrub or a small tree that usually grows around 2 - 10 metres tall, though occasional specimens up to 25 metres tall have been recorded. Plants can be deciduous in cold winters[ 266 Title Flora of China Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. Year 1994 ISBN Description An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available. , 1093 Title Invasive Species Compendium Publication Author Website http://www.cabi.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc). ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials. It is cultivated to provide a habitat for a species of insect from whom a white wax can be obtained, and is commonly grown as an ornamental, where it is often used as a hedge. Ligustrum lucidum has a very wide distribution, large population, is not currently experiencing any major threats and no significant future threats have been identified. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2019)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ]. Ligustrum lucidum has been widely introduced into temperate regions around the world, being grown for its ornamental purposes and for use in making hedges. The plant is tolerant of a wide range of soils and light conditions and, in addition to vegetative reproduction, it produces a large number of seeds which are readily dispersed by birds. These features help to make the plant a successful invader, and it has been reported to be invasive in Argentina, Australia, Mozambique, South Africa and USA, where it can form dense impenetrable stands which can outcompete the native flora and decrease biodiversity[ 1093 Title Invasive Species Compendium Publication Author Website http://www.cabi.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc). ].