Elaeagnus angustifolia

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iElaeagnus angustifolia

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Rosales
Family:	Elaeagnaceae
Genus:	Elaeagnus
Species:	E. angustifolia

Binomial name

Elaeagnus angustifolia
L.

Elaeagnus angustifolia (Russian Silverberry, Oleaster, or Russian-olive) is a species of Elaeagnus, native to western and central Asia, from southern Russia and Kazakhstan to Turkey. It is a usually thorny shrub or small tree growing to 5-7 m in height. Its stems, buds, and leaves have a dense covering of silvery to rusty scales. The leaves are alternate, lanceolate, 4-9 cm long and 1-2.5 cm broad, with a smooth margin. The highly aromatic flowers are produced in clusters of 1-3 together, 1 cm long with a four-lobed creamy yellow corolla; they appear in early summer and are later replaced by clusters of fruit, a small cherry-like drupe 1-1.5 cm long, orange-brown covered in silvery scales. The fruit is edible and sweet, though with a dryish mealy texture.

Establishment and reproduction is by primarily by seed, although some vegetative propagation also occurs. The fruit is readily eaten and disseminated by many species of birds. The plants begin to flower and fruit from three years old. Like all Elaeagnus species, it can fix nitrogen in its roots, enabling it to grow on bare, mineral substrates.

[edit] Cultivation

First cultivated in Germany in 1736, it is now widely grown across southern and central Europe, both as an ornamental plant and for its scented flowers and edible fruit. It was introduced into North America in the late 1800s, and subsequently escaped into the wild in some areas, becoming an invasive species. In North America, it often outcompetes native vegetation, interfering with natural plant succession. It often dominates riparian vegetation where overstory cottonwoods have died. Although it provides a plentiful source of edible fruit for birds (and is still marketed in many areas as a wildlife attracting plant), ecologists have found that bird species richness is actually higher in riparian areas dominated by native vegetation.