The Ligustrum sinense ‘Sunshine’ is a popular non-flowering cultivar known for its dense, upright habit and bright, golden-yellow foliage that provides year-round color. Used for low hedges, accent borders, or foundation plantings, its reliability makes it a landscape staple. However, whether the plant is truly evergreen often confuses new gardeners.
Defining the Foliage: Evergreen Status Explained
The Sunshine Ligustrum is a tender evergreen; its foliage retention is tied directly to the severity of winter weather. In warmer climates (USDA Hardiness Zones 8 through 10), the plant acts as a true evergreen, retaining its vibrant leaves throughout the year. This provides consistent color in milder regions where temperatures rarely drop below freezing for extended periods.
In cooler growing regions, such as Zone 6 or 7, the plant is classified as semi-evergreen or semi-deciduous. When subjected to prolonged freezing temperatures, especially near its hardiness limit of -10°F, the shrub will shed a significant portion of its leaves. This leaf drop is a protective response to conserve energy and moisture under cold stress. Though it may appear sparse after a harsh winter, the shrub recovers and reliably flushes out new, golden growth once spring arrives.
Why the Name “Sunshine”: Maintaining the Yellow Color
The cultivar’s brilliant golden color is a direct result of its environment. To achieve the deepest, most saturated yellow hue, this Ligustrum requires full, direct sunlight for at least six hours per day. The light intensity suppresses chlorophyll production, revealing the plant’s underlying golden pigments.
If the plant is placed in partial shade, the golden color will noticeably fade, often turning the foliage a duller chartreuse or lime-green. While the plant tolerates less light, this shift diminishes its main aesthetic appeal. Once established, the shrub is highly drought-tolerant, but it requires regular watering during its first year to develop a robust root system in well-drained soil. Pruning can be done at nearly any time to shape the plant and encourage dense branching.
Practical Considerations for Gardeners
The Sunshine Ligustrum is valued for its manageable size and low-maintenance nature. The shrub typically reaches a mature height between three and six feet with a similar spread of three to four feet. This moderate size makes it suitable for foundation plantings.
A significant benefit is its sterility; it does not produce the flowers or dark berries common to other Ligustrum varieties. This eliminates the mess from fallen fruit and ensures the plant will not become invasive by re-seeding. Furthermore, the plant resists common pests and diseases, and its foliage is generally unpalatable to deer.