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Elaeagnus umbellata
Also called Spreading Oleaster, Autumn Elaeagnus, Autumn Berry, Oleaster, Oriental Silverleaf, Autumn Oleaster, Japanese Silverberry
Autumn olive is a hardy, fast-growing deciduous shrub grown for its silvery foliage, fragrant flowers and edible red berries, though it is an invasive weed in parts of North America and Europe. The entry covers the species, which is widely planted and spreads readily from seed.
Elaeagnus umbellata is a species of flowering plant known as Japanese silverberry, umbellata oleaster, autumn olive, autumn elaeagnus, spreading oleaster, autumnberry, or autumn berry. The species is indigenous to eastern Asia and ranges from the Himalayas eastwards to Japan. It is a hardy, aggressive invasive species able to readily colonize barren land, becoming invasive in the central and northeastern United States and parts of Europe.
In its origin regions of tropical and temperate Asia, E. umbellata is not considered to be an invasive species, but in many world regions, it has become invasive across wild and cultivated areas, particularly in the eastern United States. In the early 19th century, E. umbellata was purposely introduced to the U.S. and the United Kingdom for shelter belts, erosion control, wasteland reclamation, wildlife habitat, and for gardens as an ornamental. By the late 20th century, the shrub became a noxious weed and invasive species in many U.S. states from the east coast to the central prairies, and spread widely across Europe. Due to its substantial seed production and avid germination potential, E. umbellata rapidly invades new areas where it can resprout readily after burning or cutting. Because E. umbellata stands are habitats for wildlife, such as providing forage and shelter for deer, nesting sites for birds, and berries as food for several species, it has been planted for wildlife management in parts of the U.S.
The fruit with its sweet and tart flavor can be eaten fresh or processed for jam, condiments, flavoring, or used as a substitute for tomato.
Russian olive · Eastern Silverberry · Cherry silverberry · Hybrid Broad Leaf Oleaster · Oleaster
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Elaeagnus umbellata by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
