Narrow-leaved mock privet

Narrow-leaved mock privet: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Dense, sturdy, slow-growing, evergreen shrub about 2 m tall and wide.

Foliage

Narrow and lance-shaped, a few centimetres long, leathery and dark green, in opposite pairs on the stem.

Flowers

Small, greenish-white flowers in clusters in the leaf axils, in April–May; lightly scented.

Fruit

Small, round, blue-black drupes in autumn.

Roots

Deep and extensive, which helps it survive drought.

Flowering: April–May · Plants: April–May and September · Pruning: June

Why grow it?

• Evergreen, dense and fine-leaved: ideal for topiary as a ball, cone or low hedge.
• A Mediterranean alternative to box: box tree moth does not attack it.
• Drought-tolerant and copes with sea wind and salty air.
• Scented little flowers in April–May that attract bees.
• Grows slowly, so one clip a year is enough.
• Does well in sun and part shade, even in pots and containers.

Narrow-leaved mock privet: where does it grow best?

• Sun or part shade; the more sun, the denser the growth.
• Well-drained soil: sand, loam or clay, acid to chalky; poor, dry soil is no problem.
• Dry to normally moist; it tolerates wet feet badly, especially in winter.
• Copes with wind and sea wind; inland, preferably sheltered from hard easterly winds.
• Allow 1.5–2 m per shrub; for a low hedge or topiary, 50–60 cm.

Light

Sun and partial shade

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Dry

Size

2 m tall, 2 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -15 °C)

Goes well with

• Lavender: Likes the same sun and dry soil; purple flowers next to the dark green foliage.
• Rosemary: A scented Mediterranean shrub in the same dry, sunny soil.
• Rock rose: A low, flowering shrub in the same sun and dry soil.
• Sage: Grey-green leaves that stand out nicely against the dark green.

Narrow-leaved mock privet: when and how to plant it?

Plant in April–May and September.

1. Plant in April–May or early September, when the soil is neither frozen nor waterlogged.
2. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball. In heavy clay, mix in sand or coarse grit for better drainage.
3. Set the plant at the same depth as in its pot and firm the soil well.
4. Leave 1.5–2 m between shrubs; for a low hedge, 50–60 cm.
5. Water thoroughly straight away, then weekly in dry weather during the first year.
6. Spread a layer of bark or wood chips around the base, without covering the stem.

Care

Water

In the first year, water weekly in dry weather. After that it copes well with drought; water only in long dry spells.

Feeding

A little compost or organic fertiliser in April. Do not overdo it: too much feeding gives soft growth.

Mulching

A layer of bark or wood chips suppresses weeds and protects the roots in winter.

In a pot

It grows well in a pot or container with good drainage; water more often and feed in spring.

Tip: Clip it in June, after flowering, into a ball, cone or low hedge: it is a Mediterranean alternative to box. Give it a sunny, well-drained spot.

Narrow-leaved mock privet: when to prune it?

Pruning months: June.

When: Clip it once a year, in June, after flowering.

How:

• Trim the new shoots with secateurs or hedge shears, back by about a third.
• Follow the shape you want: ball, cone or low hedge. Give a hedge a slight taper, wider at the base.
• Remove dead or crossing branches from the inside of the shrub.

Caution: Do not prune in late autumn or winter: new shoots and pruning wounds are then easily killed by frost.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Cuttings

From August to September: semi-ripe cuttings of 8–10 cm with a small heel of old wood, in a mix of sand and potting compost under plastic. They root slowly; overwinter them frost-free.

Seed

Sow fresh seed in autumn in a pot outdoors. It germinates slowly and unevenly.

Narrow-leaved mock privet: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −15 °C: protect young plants.

• Hardy down to about −15 °C: usually safe in a sheltered spot in Flanders.
• In cold winters the leaves may turn brown from cold easterly wind; a sheltered position and a layer of mulch help.
• In a pot, stand it against a wall and wrap the pot in hessian so the roots do not freeze.

Diseases and pests

• Frost damage: Brown leaves and dried-out tips after a hard winter. Wait until June to prune: it often shoots again.
• Root rot: Wilting, yellow leaves caused by soil that is too wet. Improve drainage or move it to a drier spot.
• Scale insects: Small brown scales on stems and leaves, sometimes with sticky honeydew. Wipe them off with a soft brush and soapy water.
• Bare patches: In a hedge, caused by too little light or too severe pruning. Clip lightly and more often, and keep the hedge wider at the base.

Through the year

• April: Plant. Flowering begins. Apply compost.
• May: Flowering: small scented flowers with bees. Plant.
• June: Clip after flowering.
• July: Water in dry weather, especially young plants.
• August: Take semi-ripe cuttings.
• September: Plant. Take cuttings.
• November: Mulch against frost.
• December: Rest. Cover young plants in hard frost.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• It is related to the olive (both belong to the olive family) and the leaves look a little like it.
• In southern Europe it is a typical shrub of the maquis, the dry, scrubby Mediterranean vegetation.
• The narrow, leathery leaves limit evaporation: an adaptation to the long, dry summers.