There isn't a lilac native to the Southeast. Can you post a picture?

I don't have a camera - sorry.

The bushes are about ten to fifteen feet tall. The foiliage is a brighter more yellow green color than a modern hybrid lilac. The leaf is somewhat larger than a modern hybrid.

The flowers are an eggshell white and while the individual flowers are smaller than modern hybrids, the bush as a whole is bearing more panicles.

They are very fragrant with a strong traditional lilac odor.

They are located at the edge of the wooded area. I have also found in this area forsythia, coral berry, and small patches of plumbago. There is a very large (20-25 ft.)mimosa nearby. I have also found evidence of a layer of old bricks about a foot under the present soil level.

I know that plant selections go through stages of popularity like fashion does. I wonder if there is a resource to date these plants?

Are you sure it's not wild privet? It's blooming right now.

Sounds more like itea..very fragrant. The privet has a smaller leaf and they are in full bloom now too.

If not itea, then ligustrum. They go wild like privet does.

Ligustrum is privet.

Does your lilac look like this?

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This is Chinese privet, Ligustrum sinense.

I might also be wild cherries.

After looking at the pics I think you nailed it. It does resemble the Chinese privet. Is that something that was planted and then went wild? My neighbor who is in his early 60s says he remembers only one house in our neighborhood which would have been about 1/8 mile away from my place.
Could you give me more details on this plant? There are some small volunteers and I'm thinking of moving them. Thanks!

I'm sure others will chime in here too, but privet is one of the most invasive plants in the Southeast. You might as well say you'd like to dig up some kudzu volunteers. My 6 acres have an abundance and the rural land around me is filled.

It is pretty but so are the flowers on kudzu. And I like the fragrance a lot too.
I pull up seedlings in all my beds quite routinely and have in our actual yard part, removed some monster thickets (by hand!) to make new beds.

Perhaps someone has the invasive plant info handy? I think privet is in the top 5.

Also, if you have allergies, chances are that you're allergic to it. We had 'wild' privet all over the place on our prop and after we found out how invasive it is, we cleared all of it out over a couple years. Concurrently, we moved and planted a glossy leafed ligustrum, which we didn't know was in the same family. At any rate, it got big, and i loved the fragrance of the blooms and brought a boquet in the house. I spent the rest of the day sneezing! Needless to say i didn't do that again, and trimmed off as many flowers as i could each year after. We finally decided to cut it this spring when it and a loropetalum were battling for space. I loved the shape and form of the ligustrum, but the allergies and invasive tendencies tipped it in favor of the loropetalum. We kept the wood, which is beautiiful and very durable, to use in something.

I was on a pollen count site recently and they group plants by the most allergenic. Guess what was in the top 5? ligustrum/privet! And it's planted EVERYWHERE, and in such heavy bloom that they are completely white right now. Is it any wonder then that i spend my time outside sniffling even with allergy meds? I'll bet a lot of folks are allergic to them and don't even realize it, blaming it on ragweed or hay fever, which isn't even in season right now. argh.

Top five? Sure, how about #1? It has disturbed more natural areas (by acreage) than any other plant in the southeast. Seeds are distributed far and wide by birds. Although many folks planted them in the last 150+ years (it was called "hedge" by early folks), it is equally likely that these arrived on their own.

While you're looking at the list linked below, be sure to see what else is there.

Do your natural forests a favor and prevent them from setting seed even if you're not ready to get rid of them. Just clip off the dead flowers.

Here is a link that might be useful: Invasive plants of the SE

As others have said Chinese privet is indeed invasive. A handsome plant with nice flowers, fragrance and berries that is ironclad and spreads like crazy. I live out in the country and it's all over my farm.

I didn't want to say #1 because I thought I might be exaggerating...but it doesn't surprise me!

I admit, I do have one in my yard that I have not removed. I like it because it's the only blooming tree I have at this time of the year. I don't feel like it would make a drop of difference in the ocean of privets out there if I got rid of it. And it's pretty!

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So, keep it. It is pretty in bloom. Just know and be on the lookout for baby privets and pull them out.

Yes, bumblebeez, we have talked about this bush. :) I would certainly cut off any dead flowers that you can reach to minimize the amount of seed it forms (maybe you already do that).

But dottie, if you think that baby privets from an individual plant only show up in the immediate area, you are mistaken. Birds don't always eat and poop in the same area.

Thanks for all your great info and beautiful pics. I don't think I'll move the volunteers into my yard lol. From the location near the edge of the property, I'm thinking that someone planted them as a screen at some time in the past. I did a bit of searching online and was surprised to see that several vendors including one endorsed by "the Martha" still sell this plant and recommend it as a screen??? They say Chinese privet was introduced into the USA in 1952. At least I got the date about right. Thanks for keeping me from making a potentially bad move.

Vendors have no qualms about selling invasive plants. But we've had this discussion before...

I have a shrub that looks like yours. I have been calling it a lilac but I'm suspicious that it's a privet. It's very pretty in bloom with a lovely scent but it's not invasive. After reading all the comments I'm pretty sure it's a privet. It loses it's leaves in the fall and blooms in the spring.

I have some looks like a lilac but it has not bloomed in the five years we have lived here.