Ligustrum lucidium / NU ZHEN ZI / Glossy Privet

Botanical Name – Ligustrum lucidium

Chinese Name – NU ZHEN ZI

English Name – Glossy Privet

Ligustrum lucidum, commonly called broad-leaf privet, Chinese privet glossy privet, tree privet or wax-leaf privet, is a species of privet (genus Ligustrum.) It is a flowering plant in the olive family, Oleaceae, native to the southern half of China and naturalized in many places including Spain, Italy, Algeria, Canary Islands, New Zealand, Lesotho, South Africa, Japan, Korea, Australia, Norfolk Island, Chiapas, Central America, Argentina, and the southern United States.

Ligustrum lucidum is an evergreen tree growing to 10 m tall and broad. It is often used as an ornamental tree, sometimes in variegated forms. It has become an invasive species in some areas where it has been introduced.

It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for over 1,000 years.