Elaeagnus multiflora
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| Elaeagnus multiflora Thunb. |
Elaeagnus multiflora (Goumi, Gumi, Natsugumi, or Cherry Silverberry), is a species of Elaeagnus, native to China, Korea and Japan.
It is a deciduous or semi-evergreen shrub or small tree growing to 2-8 m tall, with a trunk up to 30 cm diameter with dark brown bark. The shoots are densely covered in minute red-brown scales. The leaves are ovate to elliptic, 3-10 cm long and 2-5 cm broad, green above, and silvery to orange-brown below with dense small scales.
The flowers are solitary or in pairs in the leaf axils, fragrant, with a four-lobed pale yellowish-white 1.5 cm long corolla; flowering is in mid spring. The fruit is round to oval drupe 1 cm long, silvery-scaled orange, ripening red dotted with silver or brown, pendulous on a 2-3 cm peduncle. When ripe in mid to late summer, the fruit is juicy and edible, with an acidic taste.
Chinese people have traditionally considered them to be among a group of "nutraceuticals", or foods that are edible and have medicinal values. They are said to decrease cholesterol and have other benefits, but western scientific evidence has yet to confirm this belief [citation needed].
It is occasionally grown in Europe and North America as an ornamental plant and for its fruit. It is naturalised in parts of the eastern United States [1].
[edit] References
- Germplasm Resources Information Network: Elaeagnus multiflora
- Japan Tree Encyclopaedia: Natsugumi (Elaeagnus multiflora)
- Plants for a Future: Elaeagnus multiflora
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