In my neighbourhood they were simply known as "hedges" and almost every home still has them. I guess people figure why go to the expensive of tearing them out once they are there and having to spend money on something new.
My neighbour has hedges of privit. She has a small area of her backyard fenced off but the majority is just left. She does nothing with this area. It's fully of privit and kudzu, smilax vines, and other invasive plant material. I spray, but that doesn't kill the privit. I'm hoping tomorrow that we, ourselves can cut down a privit "Tree" which will then make almost all our property privit free. This tree/shrub and another larger leaf, fast growing evergreen tree also with black berries are the biggest problems in my neighbourhood. It is a daily job to pick out the seedlings, and when we cut down the trees and shrubs we need to drill them with holes and fill them with total kill brush remover to keep 'em gone.
Unfortunately, we are pretty much surrounded by areas of land that are not cared for. The easment behind our houses, all the houses back there errected fences and ignored their easement responsabilities. It's a haven for trash they throw over the fence, kudzu and privit.
What can ya do?

GGG

vsjo, I don't know that the birds like it so much. I've read articles that it is not their berry of choice and it doesn't have as much nutrition as native berries (therefore, they have to eat more of them to get the nutrition they need). I'm sure they eat it when the tastier berries are gone.

GGG, probably the "larger leaf, fast growing evergreen tree" that you see with black berries is the japanese privet (waxleaf ligustrum). It seems to be the shrub "du jour" in new plantings.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:819028}}

Esh, although that tree is also a night bloomer, it is a single trunk tree and definately different than a waxleaf privit. It grows FASTER than privit, and has a red stem. Someone once told me they were a Carolina Cherry Laurel but I'm not sure if that's true. It may be a privit relative (same black berries). I'm about to get rid of the last one on our property, but the people behind me have one on their fenceline (they do not do any gardening or landscaping, just let stuff grow wild) and it re-seeds THOUSANDS of seedlings into my woodlands. I just don't know how to control it.

GGG

When you said large leaves and fast growing I thought "mulberry" but when you said same fruit as privet I am lost.

Well, my prunus serotina does throw out a lot of seedlings, but the berries are dark red, not black. I haven't seen the seeds on a carolina cherry laurel.

Any of the privets can get to tree size and even be single trunked. We pulled some out of the Heritage Park area near the Silver Comet Trail that were just enormous.

About the smilax...
That might be agressive and undesirable but it's not "invasive". It has wildlife value...
Greenbriar is one of best berry and forage producers for wildlife. Good browse for swamp/cottontail rabbits and deer. Stem high in Vitamin A and protein, especially during early spring. New growth sprouts are edible for humans, also. Berries used by over 40 species of birds, including turkey and quail (ha)
Underground tubers consumed by beaver.
source: http://www.cfr.msstate.edu/courses/wf4153/planttable.htm

You've heard reference to 'between the hedges' at the University of Georgia? According to Dirr, those are Cherry Laurel.

Nell

According to Walter Reeves:

Hedge confusion

Q: At one of your radio remote broadcasts, you asked what was the plant surrounding the football field at Sanford Stadium in Athens. I answered "English privet," but you said that wasn't right. However, several online sources call it English privet. As a Bulldog fan, I've got to know: What is the hedge?

--- J, e-mail

A: You are exactly right that many online Web sites mention "English privet." They are, however, wrong. According to four different horticulturists at the University of Georgia, the shrub is Chinese privet, Ligustrum sinensis. I'm not sure where the confusion occurred. My guess is that a nonhorticultural writer got confused with English boxwood and his or her misinformation has been repeated ad infinitum. Bulldog Nation would be in your debt if you'd contact the appropriate parties and have this corrected!

Having graduated from UGA a couple of years ago, I had never paid attention to what the hedges were until I was at my sister's graduation a couple of weeks ago. My parents and DH thought it was funny that I just had to know what kind of shrub it was, so afterwards, we walked down and I saw that they were Chinese privet. I thought it was hysterical!
You know...nothing can come between Dawg fans and those hedges!!

Okay, so I misquoted Dirr. What he actually said is this:

Regarding Prunus caroliniana, carolina cherrylaurel:

"On the Georgia campus, hedges have been maintained for more than 21 years and are no less efftective or aesthetic. Grows 20-30 (to 40)ft. high, 15 to 25 ft. wide. Zones 7-10."
-- Dirr, Michael, Dirr's Trees and Shrubs for Warmer Climates, Timber Press, 2002.

Sorry. I reckon I just couldn't believe that UGA would maintain chinese privet, hallowed as they may be to a select few. Dirr does briefly acknowlege the existence of Chinese privet, but does not mention anything about any famous Hedges anywhere.

Nell

My farmer-husband who studied horticulture at UGA laughs when he tells how UGA once pulled up the privet... there was such an uproar that they were replanted....... and yep! They are just plain old common privet!