A bit west of Portland. It doesn't look native to me, and we didn't plant it. This is the first year it flowered, so I decided to see if I can get it identified. If it matters, the flowers are aromatic.
1 Answer
This is a Privet (Genus Ligustrum). It appears to be Ligustrum vulgare which is known as Common Privet, or sometimes European Privet.
It is a common woodland understorey shrub in Europe, often planted as garden hedging in urban areas as it is semi-deciduous and responds well to repeated pruning. You could never really call it a tree, it is a shrub species.
The white flowers as you say are quite fragrant and pleasant. They develop into shiny black/dark purple berries.
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$\begingroup$ I would normally add some photos of my own, but yours are so good they show all the characteristic features very well. $\endgroup$ Jun 19, 2017 at 8:30