privet ???

[jturkey]

is this the same thing we call goat hedge or something entirely different. they sound a lot alike?

[Pat B]

Never heard of goar hedge. Privet is "Ligustrum sinense". Google it! 

[jturkey]

ok not the same but shold be close eenough to make arrows from i'll cut some and try will bet back with pics if possible

[Pat B]

Just about any straight shoot material will make an arrow. Some may not stay straight or be too flimsey but you will just have to experiment and see how it works.
  One little expereiment you might want to try is collect a bunch of shoots. With some leave the bark on, with others remove all the bark and with the 3rd bunch remove all of the bark but the last inch or so from each end. Some woods check if the bark is removed too soon. With the sourwood I use I can strip them green, place them under my wood stove and in a week they are dry enough to work. Other wood like viburnumhas checked on me if I try to peel them too soon. But other shoots that would normally check if I leave the bark on each end they will dry without checking. All of this makes a difference how long it will take fhem to cure.

[wally]

Privet here in England is normally clipped when used as hedges, but near me, in between 2 buildings, some privet has been left to grow very tall with its trunks and shoots striving toward the light. The shoots make excellent arrows and I've cut a couple of very straight, for over 6ft, 3" dia staves. I'm sure they will make good bows although I've not heard of it being used.

[beetlebailey1977]

Down here in SC privet is Chinese privet or as people call it hedge.  It is every where down here.  This time of year it has small blackish/purple berrys on it. 

[jturkey]

ok i looked up that chinese hedge and that is what we have a round here and i know that the trunks of some of it get as big as 8 inch think i might try to find a straight one to make a couple of staves out of.as far as the shoot i'll have to wait till the weather is a little better to walk through that maze of jungle looking for the straight ones.

[Pat B]

Privet is very invasive. Birds eat the seeds berries and deposit the seeds everywhere. The leaves are very high in protein and deer love to eat it.

[jturkey]

i know deer love it that is the only reason it has not dissappeared off my land lmao. shot those two does i killed this year right in the middle of it.

[Pat B]

Privet makes great habitat and food for deer but it is not so good for the environment. Unfortunately it is too late to do anything about that. 

[wally]

I've checked on the web and the common hedge appears to be Ligustrum vulgaris but there are several types of Ligustrum including sinense. However boxwood is also used and I can't tell the difference by the photos, so my stuff may be boxwood??

[Pat B]

Boxwood is different in plant structure. Also most boxwoods are very slow growing. It's wood is very hard, even harder than privet.
  Possibly could even be one of the Asiatic hillies. All hollies have toothed leaves. The Asian versions have very small teeth on their leaves.