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Golden Privet: What You Need To Know | Hedging UK

Golden Privet (Ligustrum ovalifolium ‘Aureum’) is a vibrant semi-evergreen shrub, ideal for decorative yet practical hedging. Its cheerful golden-yellow foliage provides year-round colour and contrast, especially in mixed borders or as a bright boundary screen.

Read on for more information about using Golden Privet for hedges, or explore our range of Golden Privet hedging plants for sale.

Golden Privet Description:

Growth Habit:

Golden Privet has a bushy, upright growth habit that forms a thick, neat hedge. With regular clipping, it becomes dense and well-shaped, making it perfect for formal or informal styles.

Foliage:

The foliage is oval-shaped, glossy, and boldly edged in golden yellow. It maintains good leaf cover through winter in most areas, though it can be semi-evergreen, dropping some leaves in colder conditions.

Flowers and Fruits:

In early summer, it produces clusters of small, white flowers, which are lightly fragrant and attract pollinators. These are sometimes followed by small black berries that birds eat.

Sunlight and Soil Requirements:

These hedges thrive in full sun to partial shade. Full sun enhances the golden leaf colour. They grow in most well-drained soils, including clay, chalk, and loam.

Hedge Pruning:

Trim in late spring and late summer to maintain shape. It responds well to pruning and can be clipped tightly for formal hedges.

Maintenance:

Golden Privet is low maintenance and easy to grow. Water during dry spells for the first couple of years, and mulch in spring to suppress weeds and retain moisture.

Hardiness:

This species is hardy throughout the UK. It copes well with urban pollution, salt-laden winds, and a wide range of conditions, making it suitable for exposed coastal or inland sites.

Toxicity:

Privet berries and leaves are mildly toxic if ingested, particularly to pets or livestock. However, they’re usually unpalatable and not a risk in most gardens.

Where is the Best Place to Plant a Golden Privet Hedge?

Light Requirements:
Best colour in full sun, but will tolerate part shade.

Soil Type:
Adapts to a wide range of soils, as long as they are well-drained.

Space and Size:
Ideal for medium-height boundaries, driveways, or urban gardens.

Protection from Winds:
Wind-tolerant, including coastal winds.

Accessibility:
Allow access for trimming two or three times a year to maintain a formal look.

What Time of Year Do You Plant Golden Privet?

Plant in autumn (October–December) or spring (February–April) while the soil is moist and workable.

  • Bare root or root ball plants: Best planted between November and March.

  • Container-grown plants can be planted at any time of year, as long as they are adequately watered.

How Far Apart to Plant Golden Privet for a Hedge?

  • Single row: Plant 30–45cm apart

  • Double row (staggered): Space rows 40cm apart, and plants 45cm apart along the row

Tighter spacing results in a denser hedge more quickly.

How Do I Plant Golden Privet?

  • Dig a trench or holes twice as wide as the rootball

  • Improve poor soils with compost or well-rotted manure

  • Plant at the same depth as grown in the pot or field

  • Firm soil around the roots and water well

  • Mulch and keep watered during the first growing season

Watch our YouTube video for more detailed information.

How Far to Plant Golden Privet from a Fence?

Plant at least 45–60 cm away from fences or walls to allow airflow and room to trim the back of the hedge.

How Fast Does Golden Privet Grow?

Golden Privet is a moderate to fast-growing plant, gaining 30–60 cm (1–2 feet) of growth per year in ideal conditions.

How Big Does Golden Privet Get?

Untrimmed, it can reach 3–4 metres (10–13 feet) tall and 2 metres wide, but it’s typically maintained as a hedge at 1–2 metres high.

Is Golden Privet Hardy in the UK?

Yes—it is fully hardy across the UK. It withstands wind, frost, pollution, and coastal conditions.

Can You Keep Golden Privet Small?

Yes. It can be easily trimmed to heights as low as 1 metre for formal borders or kept tall for privacy screening. It takes pruning well.

Can Golden Privet Be Cut Back Hard?

Yes—Golden Privet responds well to hard pruning, even into old wood. This makes it suitable for renovation or rejuvenation if it becomes overgrown.

How Do You Thicken a Golden Privet Hedge?

To promote density:

  • Prune regularly from an early age to encourage branching

  • Apply balanced fertiliser in spring

  • Water during droughts and mulch yearly

  • Trim the top slightly narrower than the base to let light reach all parts

Which is Better: Green or Golden Privet?

  • Golden Privet offers striking colour and stands out in formal or decorative gardens.

  • Green Privet has a more traditional look and may be slightly more vigorous

  • Both are hardy, fast-growing, and easy to maintain

Choose Golden Privet for its visual brightness and standout appeal.

Do Golden Privet Hedges Stay Green All Year?

Golden Privet is semi-evergreen; it retains most of its leaves year-round in mild climates but may lose some foliage in colder winters, especially in exposed sites.

Conclusion

Golden Privet (Ligustrum ovalifolium ‘Aureum’) brings a splash of sunshine to any hedgerow, combining practicality with colour and charm. Its fast growth, easy care, and resilience make it a superb choice for urban gardens, mixed borders, and formal screens alike.