Jack Frost Variegated Ligustrum

Ligustrum japonicum ‘Jack Frost’

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 7a-11 Find Your Zone

Plant Type: Evergreen Flowering Shrub or Small Tree

Height at Maturity: 5-12′, depending on pruning

Width at Maturity: 5-8′ depending on pruning

Spacing: 4-5′ for solid hedges; 12’+ for space between plants with no pruning

Flower Color: White

Flower Size: Small

Flowering Period: Spring

Flower Type: Single

Fragrant Flowers: Yes

Foliage Color: Dark Green with heavy White variegation

Fragrant Foliage: No

Berries: Yes

Berry Color: Dark Bluish-Black

Sun Needs: Full Sun to Part Shade

Water Needs: Average, Low when established

Soil Type: Clay (amended), Loam, Sand (amended), Silt

Soil Moisture / Drainage: Well Drained Moist

Soil pH: 6.0 – 8.0 (Moderately Acid to Moderately Alkaline)

Maintenance / Care: Low, Average to High if grown as clipped hedge

Attracts: Visual Attention

Resistances: Deer, Disease, Drought (when established), Heat, Humidity, Insect

Description

Jack Frost Ligustrum is a tough, adaptable, fast-growing evergreen flowering shrub with boldly variegated evergreen leaves. It makes a colorful evergreen hedge or lower branches can be removed to form a very attractive small tree. Cone-shape clusters of sweetly fragrant white flowers are produced in abundance during spring followed by clusters of dark bluish-black berries that are enjoyed by the birds. The arrow-shaped, dark green leaves with heavy white variegation are waxy and wavy, providing a nice texture and contrasting color in the landscape. This Ligustrum will grow naturally to 8 feet or so in height and width or can be pruned to control size. Lower branches can be removed to form a highly attractive small evergreen tree.

Landscape & Garden Uses

If you’re looking to create a colorful natural or clipped hedge it doesn’t get much better than the Jack Frost Ligustrum. Left to grow naturally it will grow to 8 feet or so in height. With occasional pruning it can be maintained as low as 4 feet in height. As this Ligustrum grows taller, lower branches can be removed to form handsome and colorful evergreen flowering tree that serves well as a focal point specimen anywhere in the sunny to partially shaded landscape. Excellent for use in home foundation plantings to frame corners or entryways. Provides excellent contrast when combined with darker leaved plants. A fine addition to fragrance gardens, white theme gardens and the Xeriscape (low water needs).

Suggested Spacing: 4 to 5 feet apart for solid hedges; 12 feet apart for space between plants

Note: For our customers who live and garden north of USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 7a, where this Ligustrum variety is not reliably winter hardy, you’ll be happy to know it can be grown in containers that can be brought indoors during winter and placed back outside when temperatures warm up in spring.

Growing Preferences

Jack Frost Ligustrum is exceptionally easy to grow in most any moist but well-drained soil of average fertility and full sun to part shade. Plants are exceptionally drought tolerant when established and highly resistant to deer, disease, heat, humidity, and insects. No pruning necessary, however can be pruned as a formal hedge or small tree.

Helpful Articles

Click on a link below to find helpful advice from our experts for how to plant and care for Ligustrum and Privet shrubs.

How To Plant Ligustrum & Privet Plants

How To Fertilize Ligustrum And Privet Plants

How To Prune Ligustrum And Privet

Plant Long & Prosper!

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Questions? Contact Us

Received a very healthy shrub. Foliage is quite attractive. Plan to utilize as a small tree.
Great purchase.———————————————————-Thanks for the great review! We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

This is my first variegated Ligustrum. I have green and the yellow. I did not realize there was a variegated one; so I had to get one. It arrived very well packaged and in excellent shape. I hope to eventually prune it into a multi-stemmed tree. Thank you Wilson Bros. Not once have I ever been disappointed with any purchase from you.——————————–Thanks so much for the awesome review! We are so glad you are pleased! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Bought two for planters for either side of our front door. They receive hot afternoon Texas sun but are thriving.—————————————–Hi Antoinette, Thanks so much for taking the time to provide your review of the Jack Frost Ligustrum. We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! 🙂
Beth Steele | Wilson Bros Gardens