Privet: Yes of No?

[LanceS4803]

I have privet starting to make a foothold on my property. (Wetlands with a mix of open hardwoods and previous clearcut.)
When USDA came to evaluate the property, the guy said that although not a popular opinion, he liked privet due to the density and cover it provided deer.
Is that enough to outweight the aggressiveness of the plant in taking over?

 

[MickThompson]

If it's just getting started, I'd nail it. Basal spray or spot spray. It's pretty poor deer browse too. Hard to beat a regenerating clearcut for cover.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[eastTN270]

Get rid of it


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Boll Weevil]

Agree with others...attack it immediately and aggressively. It WILL outcompete more favorable habitat if left to propagate.

 

[nwsg76]

Kill it! And then kill it again. It's wasting space that could be used much better for food and cover.

 

[Hunt 365]

I have privet starting to make a foothold on my property. (Wetlands with a mix of open hardwoods and previous clearcut.)
When USDA came to evaluate the property, the guy said that although not a popular opinion, he liked privet due to the density and cover it provided deer.
Is that enough to outweight the aggressiveness of the plant in taking over?

Guy is dead wrong. Kill it all

 

[LanceS4803]

Thanks guys.
Got a PM from a member offering to connect with a very knowledgeable biologist.
The Sweet Gum massacre of 2017 is complete, now on to privet.

 

[Hunter 257W]

I've got several acres of the thorny wild Bradford pear trees - a privet thicker looks pretty good to me! Seriously, you don't want any of those aggressive species that take over everything and make solid stands of only one plant.