golden vicary privet mature size

12 years ago

I'm frustrated trying to determine reasonably accurate mature size of golden vicary privet shrubs (ligustrum x vicaryi)... in z5 eastern CO, full sun exposure.

Tags on plants (H Depot) said 4'-5' tall x 3' wide and spacing @ 3'. (??!!) Other sources give variety of sizes, ranging up to 8'-12' tall x 8'-10' wide.

I do NOT want them to grow together to form a hedge, rather want them spaced to enjoy their natural form & shape, with some room between.

Presently they are spaced @ 5ft, and I'm thinking that's not enough for what I want. They're still small, just planted last summer, so now's a good time to move them if necessary....

Could anyone with these grown shrubs pleeeeze clue me in?

Thank you!

Featured Answer

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

12 years ago

most size estimates are at ten years ..

so divide all the tag numbers by ten.. perhaps after you convert to inches ...

and then you ought to have an annual growth rate ... and if you do that for each estimate.. you can get a rolling average ... if one is 6 inches.. and another 8 inches.. well.. lets just call it 7 .. lol ..

and keep in mind.. they will grow more.. the further south you go.. simply due to the longer growing season ....

to grow them in this manner.. you ought to study REJUVENATION PRUNING OF FLOWERING SHRUBS ... google the term ..

you can keep them any size you wish ...

ken

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Comments (6)

jane47
Original Author
12 years ago
okaaaayyyy,,,, but what do I believe -- what the tag says or general info on the internet??? 3ft wide on tag vs 8-10ft wide online?
I confused.
Thanks for answering - I enjoy reading all your input, have learned a lot.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
12 years ago
still confused.. what .... are you trying top challenge me??? ... lol

in FL.. with an 11.5 month growing season... its going to grow a lot more...

than it would in z4 WI.. where the soil is frozen solid for 5 months..

that isnt hard ... and you are closer to WI zone-wise.. than FL .. lol ...

i think your biggest problem to getting a handle on this... is that one tag could have been printed in FL .. and one in WI ... WHY ARE YOU RELYING ON SOME TAG PRODUCED BY SOME TOTAL STRANGER ...??? [and that logic would flow to un-sourced web pages also]

it will grow.. as it will grow.. in YOUR garden.. in YOUR soil.. in YOUR zone.. the way it will grow ...

just plant them .. and dont worry about it ... sometimes the quest for knowledge.. makes one worry too much ... so you just end up doing it ...

thx for the kind words.. and good luck

ken
jane47
Original Author
12 years ago
okay, I get it. I do tend to overthink things a bit (just ask my kids), so thanks for your patience.
jane
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
12 years ago
Mature size of any plant will be determined by growing conditions and location, so one does need to take tag info (and not all of that will be a 10 yr estimate) and online or other printed sources with a grain of salt. Which is pretty much what ken is attempting to convey, I think :-)

That said, the vast majority of written sources indicate this shrub gets wide in time - 8-10'. The 3' spacing is very likely for hedging purposes, to provide a continuous "wall of plants" effect. They can of course be pruned to a smaller width but if you wish the plants to grow naturally with minimum pruning input on your part, I'd space them a bit further apart.

Here is a link that might be useful: check out these images
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
12 years ago
Which is pretty much what ken is attempting to convey, I think :-)

==>> no doubt.. sometimes its a lot harder than one might think .. to convey a simple idea .. lol ...

per gals link .. and my personal observation.. i have seen them at least 6 foot wide.. and 10 feet height..

to insure an open space.. one would probably put them near 9 feet apart ... 3 from the center of both plants [3+3].. and a 3 foot opening ...

if you want to go closer.. then you rejuvenation prune.. to keep them in a smaller form ..

ken