Privet
Privet is a bush or tree in the
olive family which is used for hedges and as an ornamental. The
flowers are small and fragrant and borne in
panicles. They have four curled-back petals and two high stamens with yellow or red(?) anthers, between which is the low pistil; the petals and stamens fall off after the flower is fertilized, leaving the pistil in the calyx tube. The fruits, borne in clusters, are small purple drupes. In favorable growing conditions, individual shrubs may produce thousands of fruits. In the United States, and worldwide, many privet species introduced outside their native ranges have become invasive, spreading into wilderness areas and displacing native species.
