Privet is a conical evergreen tree or shrub, with ovate or oval leaves, shiny and dark green in colour, up to 15cm long. In late summer and early autumn, it produces white flowers in panicles up to 20cm long, followed by ovoid-oblong blue-black fruits. Native to East Asia, where it grows spontaneously in Japan, Korea and China, glossy privet was introduced to Europe at the end of the 18th century as an ornamental plant and is now widespread in the temperate areas of the continent. Evergreen tree or shrub, conical, with ovate or oval leaves, shiny, tapered, dark green in colour, up to 15cm long. At the end of summer and beginning of autumn, white flowers appear, collected in panicles up to 20cm long; followed by ovoid-oblong, blue-black fruits. The glossy privet is an evergreen tree native to eastern Asia, where it grows wild in Japan, Korea and China. Imported into Europe at the end of the 18th century as an ornamental plant, it is currently widespread in all temperate climate zones of the continent.