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Live in zone 9 in USA. This shrub is about 6 feet tall and we have to trim it every year or else it'll grow taller and block windows. Planted 5+ years ago.

White flowers it looks like too. Would like to plant this in backyard too for privacy. House faces north. Backyard has 12 hours sunlight.

Edit: it looks more and more like waxy leaf ligustrum but it's been trimmed in to a rectangular shape.

photo 1starting to flowerfront view

Better quality pics

flowers bloom white zoomed in

Danger14
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    Possibly [cherry / common / English laurel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prunus_laurocerasus). You wouldn't have a close-up of the flowers and leaves? Or at least larger photos with a better resolution? – Stephie Apr 09 '16 at 18:20
  • @Stephie the pics are 3mb each but stackexchange reduces quality of them. Any ideas around this? – Danger14 Apr 10 '16 at 06:25
  • erm, sorry, no. Let's wait for those with more experience to chime in. Another question: Do the flowers produce fruit (berries)? What do they look like? – Stephie Apr 10 '16 at 06:30
  • Pic of the flowers once open would be helpful, but at the moment, I'm thinking Viburnum, maybe V. tinus, though it looks much brighter green than I'm used to in the UK and the flower formation doesn't look quite right. It definitely is not cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) that produces candle style flowers... – Bamboo Apr 10 '16 at 13:00
  • Are the leaves waxy and thick enough for Wax Ligustrum? They don't look as if they are under magnification, but its hard to tell - plus there doesn't appear to be any of the typical 'waviness' of leaves there usually is with that plant. Could be Ligustrum ovalifolium though but those leaves on yours look 'soft' – Bamboo Apr 10 '16 at 13:10
  • I know nothing about shrubs, so I'm in over my head here, and you already have the expert team helping you! I'm just wondering if anyone thinks it could be in the Hawthorn family? It doesn't match all of them, but is similar to some. You've probably ruled that out, but I wanted to try and contribute! – Sue Saddest Farewell TGO GL Apr 10 '16 at 17:35
  • @Bamboo flowers bloom white. Leaves aren't wavy just look like Pringles chips shapes :) – Danger14 Apr 10 '16 at 17:38
  • @Stephie Not sure if makes berries as I usually trim it before it flowers. I'll let it flower this time to see. – Danger14 Apr 10 '16 at 17:38
  • Pringles, I like that description! Like pringles too, way to much actually, but although I know the flowers are white, its the form of them I'd like to see... that spray shape they're making in the last picture could indicate Ligustrum of some variety, just not Wax Ligustrum... – Bamboo Apr 10 '16 at 18:04
  • Also, I can't see properly whether the leaves are alternate or paired - they look paired, but can't see enough of them to be sure, any chance of a pic of a single branch as well, showing several leaves, not just some on the end? – Bamboo Apr 10 '16 at 18:19
  • Looks a little like ALECTRYON coriaceus? Could be a type of VIBURNUM? – Viv Apr 10 '16 at 23:25
  • @Bamboo I looked again and the leaves are paired. – Danger14 Apr 18 '16 at 05:44
  • @Viv I live in the USA, updated my answer, so I doubt it's Electron Coriaceus unless someone smuggled it out of Australia. I believe Viburnum flowers are too big – Danger14 Apr 18 '16 at 05:48
  • @Danger14 - paired leaves would make the ID of Ligustrum more likely - I'm just not sure which Ligustrum it is, doesn't seem to have shiny enough nor thick enough leaves for Wax Ligustrum, but the leaves on yours seem on the large side to be L. ovalifolium. Flower sprays when they're out might help to decide – Bamboo Apr 18 '16 at 13:38
  • @Bamboo can you leave your comment as an answer so I can mark as best answer? – Danger14 Apr 28 '16 at 05:14
  • Well I will, but I'm not too happy about it - I haven't identified it properly other than its being a Ligustrum of some sort... – Bamboo Apr 28 '16 at 09:46

2 Answers2

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You've confirmed the leaves are paired, so I'm pretty sure its a Ligustrum - seeing the flower sprays when they're fully out would help, but probably L. ovalifolium (though the leaves seem a little large for that) or possibly wax Ligustrum, but the leaves just don't seem, in the picture, to be thick and shiny enough for that variety. But it would appear to be Ligustrum of some variety.

Bamboo
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Have you noticed if it's currently blooming little bitty white flowers? If so, next time you walk by it, consciously take a big whiff. If you notice a nice floral fragrance, I'm pretty sure you have a Jasmine bush

kevinskio
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Irene Annette Chastain
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