WAX LEAF

JAPANESE PRIVET / WAX LEAF

LATIN NAME: LIGUSTRUM JAPONICUM

MAIN HOMELAND: EAST ASIA and JAPAN

SYMBOL OF AMERICAN GARDEN PRIVACY

Ligustrum Japonica, starting from America in the 18th century and becoming the most preferred natural fence of modern landscape architecture until the middle of the 20th century, is recommendet as a natural garden fence in the book "Hedges and Evergreens" published in 1858 by Dr. John Aston Warder, who is respected as an expert in the community.

Dr. John Aston Warder was arguing that in the 1800s, when the detached house culture began to develop in towns outside the cities in America, the need to define the garden boundaries between neighbors in an aesthetic way and the respect to be felt for family privacy was the most fundamental issue in terms of basic American culture. John Aston Warder gave detailed information about plants that can be preferred as hedges, from planting to care, in his book called “Hedges and Evergreen”.

After the ligustrum plant became widespread in America as a garden fence, a bee wax-like substance secreted by its leaves, which was noticed, was used as an alternative for polishing porcelain and leather goods among the people. For this reason, it is also called Wax Leaf as traditional term.

There were times when fruit seeds were dried and roasted and drunk as an alternative to coffee, but this practice was abandoned when it was understood that the fruit contained glycosides.

The ligustrum plant, which has not been attributed any cultural meaning in its homeland, East Asia, or in any other country, has no notable story other than Dr. John Aston Warder's book "Hedges and Evergreens" and American Gardening History.