Chinese privet or tea olive?

[19Mateo83]

I ran across this little duo while out in the woods today. They look like the deer have been keeping them well pruned. Are these tea olives or some species of privet?

 

[Carol 83]

I have a dwarf Tea Olive and it has very holly-like leaves.

 

[RJG2]

Looks privet-y to me, but a closer look at the leaves would help.

 

[19Mateo83]

I have a dwarf Tea Olive and it has very holly-like leaves.

I forgot to attach a close up of the leaves.

 

[19Mateo83]

Looks privet-y to me, but a closer look at the leaves would help.

Just added

 

[penumbra]

Do you mean Osmanthus when you say Tea Olive, or do you mean Eleagnus?
It is neither of those and most likely a privet. I don't use all the new fangled tools, I can barely do this site, but it does have an indent like boxwood. I'm not sure if privet does. Maybe someone more enlightened will know.

 

[19Mateo83]

Do you mean Osmanthus when you say Tea Olive, or do you mean Eleagnus?
It is neither of those and most likely a privet. I don't use all the new fangled tools, I can barely do this site, but it does have an indent like boxwood. I'm not sure if privet does. Maybe someone more enlightened will know.

Whatever it is there’s a ton of them just like this. I think the deer have taken up bonsai as a hobby in those woods

 

[Carol 83]

Do you mean Osmanthus when you say Tea Olive, or do you mean Eleagnus?
It is neither of those and most likely a privet. I don't use all the new fangled tools, I can barely do this site, but it does have an indent like boxwood. I'm not sure if privet does. Maybe someone more enlightened will know.

Mine is Osmanthus.

 

[penumbra]

Mine is Osmanthus.

I figured that since you described holly like leaves.

 

[Shibui]

Tree in the photo appears to have opposite leaf arrangement but hard to be sure with the photo quality. Please confirm whether opposite or alternate.
Elaeagnus have alternate leaf arrangement.
Osmanthus has opposite leaf arrangement but leaves of dwarf species have spikes like holly
Privet have opposite leaf arrangement, smooth edges and indented tip.
In addition privet are weedy in many places which would fit with being easy to find and 'There's a ton of them like this'

Privet very tough and hard to kill. Can be transplanted at almost any size and you don't need to keep tons of roots.
Slow growing though so not worth taking small ones except to get rid of weeds IMHO. Keep looking to find the few that have thicker but bent and twisted trunks. Not easy to find but well worth spending the time searching for.