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Dark Curly Leaf Ligustrum - A Great Idea For An EntranceThe Dark Curly Leaf Ligustrum is one of my favorite small evergreen shrubs. It is a dwarf member of the Ligustrum family. This plant is wonderful for an entrance and many other styles of gardens, or a specific landscape area. There are many different varieties of the Ligustrum and this plant family is known for its drought and heat tolerance. In the United States this plant family grows well in zones seven through ten. It loves sandy soil but will also do well in some clay base soil. It is very popular in Coastal regions in the deep south and Texas. If you have other plants that you think might go well with this specie, feel free to search on this site or in Google.
The Dark Curly Leaf is also called, Rotundifolium. Many of the Ligustrums will grow six to eighteen feet high and six to eight feet wide. The Curly Leaf will grow to about four feet high and two to three feet wide.
This is a picture of an established Dark Curly Leaf Ligustrum. It has been in the ground for about five to seven years. This plant specie is a slow grower. The leaves wrap around the branches in a unique fashion. The highlight of this plant is its shiny and glossy leaves.
Noticed the defined shape of the leaves and well as the veins. This is a great accent plant. I use this plant in entrance ways to a formal or informal garden. Putting the plant on either side allows you have a feeling of entering into your own little paradise. The dwarf also does well in containers. The containers also can accent a deck, porch or patio. In the
examples of landscape designs section,
there are hand drawn designs that may give you some options to incorporate this lovely dwarf evergreen. The plant over time can become leggy and a good idea if you are looking to keep a neat appearance, to prune in the spring and fall. As you can see, I use a small pruner to trim this shrub. Also notice that the pruner is at an angle to cut the branch. An angle cut is the correct way to prune. If you cut a branch straight across you could damage the plant. Start at the top and shape it in a form that will fit your landscape setting. Here is a photo of the shrub pruned. It is shaped in somewhat of a natural form but the leggy branches have been removed to give this plant a neat appearance. The plant can take full sun but will also survive in partial shade. As I mentioned above, this plant will do well in extreme heat and the
Dark Curly Leaf Ligustrum can grow in the tropics.
This dwarf is a wonderful evergreen plant for a warmer climate. This specie will enhance your garden when planted next to variegated shrubs. I enjoy putting this plant with some Nandinas as well as some other solid evergreens. In the
gallery of plants section,
there are some other plant families that would work well with the Dwarf Curly Leaf Ligustrum. This is a plant I would highly recommend it's use in one or more of your gardens. If you have been searching for an evergreen plant for your garden, this plant is a wonderful solution for you.
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