Ligustrum ovalifolium (California Privet) is a fast-growing shrub valued for quick privacy and easy shaping. You can grow it as a formal hedge, an informal screen, or a backdrop plant that fills in rapidly with dense branching and rich green foliage.
Place it where it can receive full sun to part shade for best growth. It adapts to a wide range of soils and urban conditions, and once established it can handle periods of dryness. Mature plants typically reach about 120-180 inches tall, and can be maintained at your preferred height with regular pruning.
It blooms in summer and may produce dark fruits later in the season. Birds readily use the fruit, and the plant can contribute cover and structure in the landscape. If flowers are important to you, prune after flowering; if you are focused on a tight hedge line, you can trim as needed to keep the shape clean.
For hedging, start with good soil preparation and consistent watering during establishment, then taper watering as the root system develops. Provide occasional feeding only if growth is weak, and monitor for common privet pests such as aphids, leaf miners, and beetles, especially when plants are stressed.