Chinese privet is a common fixture in the southeastern United States – typically found growing in dense thickets along roadsides, on rights of way and in forests.  One common control strategy is to cut away the shrub’s thick foliage and apply glyphosate or triclopyr at label-recommended rates to control shoots that can sprout from the root stump.

But research featured in the journal Invasive Plant Science and Management shows you can get great control of Chinese privet with much less herbicide than you think. Scientists say all it takes is a 25 percent concentration of glyphosate or triclopyr – significantly less than the 50 to 100 percent recommended by the product label.

Another important finding from the study: Application timing matters. Researchers documented a slight increase in the recovery of lateral root sprouts following spring triclopyr treatments. They recommend fall treatments for optimal results.

If you want to learn more about the study findings, look for the article “The Influence of Treatment Timing and Shrub Size on Chinese Privet (Ligustrum sinense) Control with Cut Stump Herbicide Treatments in the Southeastern United States” in Volume 11, Issue 1 of Invasive Plant Science and Management.