Image 1 of 4

The original branch sport with all the extra variegataion which on its own roots is the cultivar 'Quackin' Happy Moondrops'

Ligustrum x ibolium ‘Quackin’ Happy Moondrops’ - This is our own selection from a branch sport that occurred on our variegated Ibolium Privet (L. ovalifolium x L. obtusifolium). Each leaf develops with broad cream-yellow edges, fully 2 to 3 times the variegation found on the leaf margins of ‘Variegatum’. The cream yellow gradually fades to cool cream-white. The center of each leaf is a leathery dark gray-green and marbled with irregular patches in a lighter tint of gray-green. The variegation develops only after the leaves have emerged – brief patience required! The outline of this pretty shrub is large, round and moon-shaped, each leaf behaving as a moondrop, hence its chosen moniker. In an interesting side note: Ligustrum x ibolium also originated in Connecticut around 1910 according to Michael Dirr. ‘Quackin’ Happy Moondrops’ is of easy disposition when sited in part to full sun. It is much softer in look and disposition than some of its stiffer relatives providing movement in breezes. White flowers are insignificant and here it produces very few blue fruits with a white bloom. The foliage hangs on until late fall and into the winter at Quackin’ Grass until we have a number of severely cold nights. At that time the foliage turns light brown, most of it drops but not all; we love the sound of the dried leaves that linger in winter breezes – there’s something to be said for the aural garden, too! It will likely be semi-evergreen in warmer haunts. It has never seeded about here in USDA zone 5b but we do not know how it may behave down south; caution is advised. We have found that spring planting is advised in northern zones. Though amenable to pruning we prefer its large, soft round full moon form. Cutting grown.