Like its name, Sunshine Ligustrum is an ever-green, yellow, shiny plant that amazes everyone.
Sunshine Ligustrum may be the best option if you want to plant some beautiful ornamental plants around your home’s hedges or borders.
It does not produce flowers and is known as the perfect plant for allergy sufferers.
And by planting Sunshine Ligustrum, you can have an eco-friendly fence around your house border areas.
Sunshine Ligustrum is also so widely planted because of its versatile shape adaptability. You can create any structure, and it will still look envious.
In today’s read, we will go through many topics related to Sunshine Ligustrum. We will learn about the best and worst companion plants of Sunshine Ligustrum, their growing requirements, and risks of disease and pets.
Why Does Sunshine Ligustrum Need Companion Plants?
Sunshine Ligustrum is an easy-going plant that favors growing with many other plants, but why does Sunshine Ligustrum need a companion?
The simple answer is companion plants help Sunshine Ligustrum thrive and hides any complexions occurring when plants go dormant.
Sunshine Ligustrum is an ideal summer season plant, and companion planting helps it retain its beauty, health, and shape when sheer winter comes.
In winter, many plants go pale or dormant, and their leaves start to fall out. Plants like Japanese Mahonia help Sunshine Ligustrum, adding a yellow shiny look as winter suits Mahonia.
Planting similar plants like mahonia or other good companions of Sunshine Ligustrum helps them grow and stay healthy.
We will further learn about the good companion plants of Sunshine Ligustrum and what plants should be evaded from planting nearby.
6 Best Sunshine Ligustrum Companion Plants
Sunshine Ligustrum is one such plant that goes along very well with many other plants because of its low-maintenance nature.
There are quite a few plants that will benefit if planted near Sunshine Ligustrum. Let us know about them.
1. Hibiscus
One good companion of Sunshine Ligustrum is Hibiscus. A beautiful plant that produces dark green foliage making your garden look astonishing.
Hibiscus thrives in full sun, just like Sunshine Ligustrum, which makes them good neighbors.
Hibiscus flowers are beautiful in summer and will contrast with Sunshine Ligustrum. When Hibiscus sheds its foliage during fall, Sunshine Ligustrum will conceal the bare branches Hibiscus will leave.
2. Loropetalum
It has one of the most beautiful and vibrant colors one could find in the garden bed. It is used as a ground cover, making it a good friend of Sunshine Ligustrum.
Like Sunshine Ligustrum, Loropetalum is an evergreen plant with beautiful, color-changing broad leaves and fragrant flowers.
These plants get along very well as they have similar growing and caring needs. Both require full sun to thrive and also need a bit of pruning once in a while to stay in shape.
3. Bananas
Everyone likes greenery in their garden, and planting Dwarf Banana (Musa) is one way to achieve this. When planted alongside Sunshine Ligustrum, a yellow and green combination will shine in your garden.
This banana plant likes the sun and can not tolerate low temperatures, which is very much the same as Sunshine Ligustrum. Banana plants can produce sterile fruits even without fertile seeds.
Apart from its tasty fruits, the banana plant is a blessing to have in many ways. It can grow well in a container or as a border plant.
Banana plants are heavy feeders, and Sunshine Ligustrum does not consume much, which makes them complement each other very well.
The banana plant will grow as a shower next to the ligustrum, which will grow as a filler plant.
4. Cordyline
Cordyline is a great companion of Sunshine Ligustrum, an evergreen plant with sparkling and vibrant leaves.
Its compact size makes it a very good neighbor, and its color provides a contrast that no other plant can match.
A low-maintenance plant that thrives in full sun and has somewhat similar water requirements as ligustrum makes them good companion plants.
Cordyline’s leaves evolve from pinkish-red to dark green with beautiful fragrant flowers. It is a must-have plant in your garden.
5. Nandina
Sacred Bamboo, also known as Nandina, has light pink leaves, grows a red-colored berry, and is considered a good partner of Sunshine Ligustrum as the visual beauty they create when planted together.
These sacred bamboos are tall and can be planted as the background of the yellow Sunshine Ligustrum as the hedge in the front.
6. Mahonia
Japanese Mahonia is one such plant that season gardeners appreciate, and it is one of the must-have companions of Sunshine Ligustrum.
It produces yellow flowers, which match the shiny yellow Sunshine Ligustrum. Although it flowers from late summer to early spring, its flowers bloom in winter, making it more special and desirable for every seasoned gardener.
When almost all plants are in their dormancy stage or go dormant in winter, they add bright colors to your garden.
Mahonias are cold weather tolerant and do not need much water or fertilizer, making them a good companion of Sunshine Ligustrum.
2 Worst Companion Plants for Sunshine Ligustrum
Sunshine Ligustrum is generally a good neighbor to every other plant. However, there are still some plants that should be avoided planting near them as it will cause harm to both plants and sometimes the entire garden.
Some of the worst companion plants for sunshine ligustrum are:
1. Lavender
Sunshine Ligustrum requires frequent watering for good, healthy growth. They are drought-tolerant and can survive hot conditions, but the soils should be moist.
Plants like lavender can not handle too much moisture and will not grow well when planted near Sunshine Ligustrum.
Planting together will have different requirements, which will be tough to compensate for, and their roots system will be affected; hence, they are not good companions.
2. Golden Euonymus
Golden Euonymus is a yellow-colored plant with dark green foliage. As Golden Euonymus has a yellow reflection towards it, this may hamper the attractive looks of Sunshine Ligustrum.
It is better to avoid yellow foliage plants to keep the shiny and beautiful looks of Sunshine Ligustrum intact. Yellow-toned foliage like Florida sunshine or yellow twig dogwood should be avoided.
What Are Sunshine Ligustrum’s Growing Requirements?
Sunshine Ligustrum is a low-maintenance and easy-to-grow plant that will thrive all year round if just a little care is given to its growing needs.
Below are some of the major growing requirements to take care of when planting Sunshine Ligustrum.
1. Soil Requirements
Sunshine Ligustrum needs well-draining soil to thrive. Adding two inches of mulch around your plant will help the soil retain the soil’s moisture.
2. Sunlight Requirements
Sunshine Ligustrum requires full to partial sunlight for healthy growth. If the plant gets 6 to 8 hours of sunlight daily, it will shine all year long.
3. Water Requirements
Sunshine Ligustrum requires well-moist soil with ample drainage. In the early days, it needs frequent watering, and once it is established, it can be drought and heat tolerant.
4. Temperature Requirements
It is a happy plant when it is in summer conditions. Summertime is an ideal thriving time for Sunshine Ligustrum.
It can withstand drought and hot temperatures. However, you need to keep the soil moist around them.
5. Fertilizer Requirements
Sunshine Ligustrum benefits from organic fertilizers more than other fertilizers. Fertilizer containing iron or sulfur is preferable, and slow- fertilizer will do the job.
Grass Diseases And Pests
Every plant is prone to some diseases and pests, and Sunshine Ligustrum is no exception.
How big of a problem is it, and what are the major concerns to look for when planting Sunshine Ligustrum?
All of these questions will be answered in this part. Let us first know what the major diseases and pets of Sunshine Ligustrum are.
Diseases of Sunshine Ligustrum
Some major diseases and problems in Sunshine Ligustrum are:
- Leaf drops or losing leaves.
- Dying of hedge.
- Brown spots on ligustrum.
- Color changing of foliage or Leaf spots.
- Dark brown marks on tree leaves.
Pests of Sunshine Ligustrum
Now let us know about some major pests and infections that can hamper the growth of Sunshine Ligustrum.
Aphids
Sunshine Ligustrum is very prone to aphids attack and hampers the plant’s growth like nothing else.
Aphids are bugs that feed on leaves by sucking the juices of the newer-formed leaves. They are layered, come in different colors, and are visible to the naked eye.
You can get rid of them through pesticides specially made for aphids or damp cloth or naturally through insects that feed on aphids.
Scale Insects
This is another bug that likes to suck on your plants. They contain protective shells and cause small bumps on your stems and leaves on both sides.
These scale insects release white covering protection for their eggs which is very harmful to your Sunshine Ligustrum.
They can be controlled and removed using a brush with soapy water. Some certain kinds of pesticides are also available in the market to eliminate them.
Always read all the instructions carefully before applying pesticides to your Sunshine Ligustrum, and try doing it in the summer.
Vine Weevil
It is a type of beetle that likes to eat leaves as its food source, resulting in the falling of leaves and holes in them.
They are mostly seen attacking in summer and are considered very dangerous, as they can even eat the roots of plants.
You have to be cautious and alert to protect your Sunshine Ligustrum against them, as they are mostly seen at night, and by giving a prompt shake to the plant, you can remove them.
While there seem to be no specific chemical solutions to eliminate them, gardeners advise using a product containing acetamiprid to lower the effect.
Conclusion
This article will help you grow and effectively care for your Sunshine Ligustrum. This is also a guide as to what to plant along Sunshine Ligustrum, which will boost the growth of one another.
It also reminds you what plants you should avoid planting near Sunshine Ligustrum.
Do let me know in the comment which plants you chose from the list mentioned above.
Until next time.