{"slug":"elaeagnus-angustifolia","scientific_name":"Elaeagnus angustifolia","common_names":["Russian olive","Oleaster","Silver berry"],"family":"Elaeagnaceae","type":"broadleaf_deciduous","mature_height_m":8,"mature_spread_m":6,"growth_rate":"fast","lifespan_years":null,"hardiness_zones":[2,7],"sun":"full","water":"low","soil":"Light sandy or loamy soil preferred; tolerates clay, rocky, alkaline and saline soil and occasional flooding","native_range":"Native to western and central Asia and a small part of eastern Europe.","description":"A thorny small tree or large shrub with silvery, willow-like leaves, fragrant yellow flowers in late spring and mealy silver-to-red fruits that birds spread. It fixes nitrogen and tolerates drought, salt and cold, which is why it was planted for windbreaks and wildlife across the West; it has since taken over river corridors and wet meadows from Colorado to Washington, displacing cottonwoods and willows. It is a listed noxious weed in several western states and its sale is banned in Utah and Connecticut.","care":"Not recommended for planting. Removal: cut stumps resprout vigorously and must be treated immediately with herbicide; pull seedlings. Where kept, expect canker disease and thorny litter.","benefits":["drought_tolerant","salt_tolerant","nitrogen_fixing","windbreak","birds"],"uses":["windbreak"],"cautions":["invasive_elsewhere","thorns","messy_fruit"],"image_url":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/Korina_2012-05-15_Elaeagnus_angustifolia_1.jpg","image_credit":"Katrin Schneider / korina.info, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons","sources":["https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/elaeagnus-angustifolia/","https://plants.usda.gov/plant-profile/ELAN","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elaeagnus_angustifolia","https://ag.utah.gov/farmers/plants-industry/noxious-weed-control-resources/state-of-utah-noxious-weed-list/","https://nmdeptag.nmsu.edu/media/pdf/noxious-weed-memo-and-list-june-2020.pdf","https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Invasives/RegulatedSpecies","https://cipwg.uconn.edu/invasive_plant_list/","https://www.pa.gov/en/agencies/dcnr/conservation/wild-plants/invasive-plants/invasive-plant-fact-sheets.html"],"data_note":null,"updated_at":"2026-11-08T01:00:46.205Z","page_url":"https://treerm.org/trees/elaeagnus-angustifolia","markdown_url":"https://treerm.org/trees/elaeagnus-angustifolia.md","regions":[{"country":"TR","region":null,"locality":null,"status":"native","note":"Native to western and central Asia.","source_url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elaeagnus_angustifolia"},{"country":"US","region":null,"locality":null,"status":"invasive","note":"NC State notes it dominates riparian areas in the central and western US; naturalized from Maine to the Pacific Northwest.","source_url":"https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/elaeagnus-angustifolia/"},{"country":"US","region":"NM","locality":null,"status":"invasive","note":"Class C noxious weed on the New Mexico Noxious Weed List.","source_url":"https://nmdeptag.nmsu.edu/media/pdf/noxious-weed-memo-and-list-june-2020.pdf"},{"country":"US","region":"PA","locality":null,"status":"invasive","note":"On Pennsylvania DCNR's invasive plant fact sheet list (combined Elaeagnus sheet).","source_url":"https://www.pa.gov/en/agencies/dcnr/conservation/wild-plants/invasive-plants/invasive-plant-fact-sheets.html"},{"country":"US","region":"CT","locality":null,"status":"prohibited","note":"Potentially Invasive on the Connecticut Invasive Plant List; sale and movement prohibited by statute.","source_url":"https://cipwg.uconn.edu/invasive_plant_list/"},{"country":"US","region":"UT","locality":null,"status":"prohibited","note":"Class 4 noxious weed in Utah: prohibited for sale or propagation.","source_url":"https://ag.utah.gov/farmers/plants-industry/noxious-weed-control-resources/state-of-utah-noxious-weed-list/"},{"country":"US","region":"WI","locality":null,"status":"prohibited","note":"Restricted under Wisconsin NR 40: transport, transfer and introduction require a permit.","source_url":"https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Invasives/RegulatedSpecies"}],"license":"CC-BY-4.0"}