There's a new invasive plant in Ohio's sights. And like the Bradford pear before it, Ohio is now targeting the common privet.

The villain is a large, evergreen shrub or small tree called Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense), which is very invasive in the southern U.S. It's worse than kudzu because kudzu needs sun to grow.

The common privet joins a list of 63 invasive species, including the callery pear trees, duck lettuce, water chestnut and more. The purpose of this designation is to protect native species that ...

perhaps even reduce new tree growth. According to a map on the Invasive Plant Atlas, which is based on county-level reports made by experts, the common privet is found in roughly two-thirds of ...