Ligustrum lucidum

Native to Nepal, northeastern Myanmar, central and southern China, Hainan and southern Korea, this evergreen tree is widely planted as an ornamental. Its creamy white flowers grow in branching clusters and have a pungent scent that some people find unpleasant. Small, blue-black fruits are dispersed by birds. The leaves have translucent veins bordered by an opaque rim. It is invasive in North Carolina, where it establishes beneath forest canopies and displaces native vegetation. Abundant seed production, shade tolerance, rapid growth and vigorous resprouting help it spread and make control difficult. Its leaves and fruits are poisonous to people and dogs if eaten. Photographed in Bogotá, Colombia.