Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines
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Species Types
Scientific Name
Ligustrum spp.
Description
Four species of privets occur in Missouri, all are nonnative, and all are considered invasive or potentially invasive. When they invade natural habitats, they can form dense thickets that crowd out native vegetation.
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Species Types
Scientific Name
Forestiera acuminata
Description
Swamp privet is a straggly shrub or small tree growing in wet to swampy ground. It is quite noticeable in early spring, with the clusters of yellow flowers and bracts appearing along the gray branches before the leaves come out. In this way, it is similar in aspect to spicebush.
See Also
About Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines in Missouri
There are no sharp dividing lines between trees, shrubs, and woody vines, or even between woody and nonwoody plants. “Wood” is a type of tissue made of cellulose and lignin that many plants develop as they mature — whether they are “woody” or not. Trees are woody plants over 13 feet tall with a single trunk. Shrubs are less than 13 feet tall, with multiple stems. Vines require support or else sprawl over the ground.