{"slug":"elaeagnus-umbellata","scientific_name":"Elaeagnus umbellata","common_names":["Autumn olive","Japanese silverberry","Autumnberry"],"family":"Elaeagnaceae","type":"broadleaf_deciduous","mature_height_m":4,"mature_spread_m":6,"growth_rate":"fast","lifespan_years":null,"hardiness_zones":[4,9],"sun":"full_partial","water":"low","soil":"Any well-drained soil including poor, sandy and acid soils; not wet sites","native_range":"Native to eastern Asia from the Himalayas to Japan.","description":"A dense, thorny large shrub or small tree with silver-backed leaves, fragrant creamy flowers in late spring and masses of red, silver-flecked berries in fall that are tart, edible and rich in lycopene. It fixes nitrogen and was planted widely for wildlife and mine reclamation, then exploded across old fields, roadsides and forest edges from the Atlantic to the prairies, forming thickets that crowd out native plants and alter soils. It is banned or restricted in many eastern and midwestern states.","care":"Not recommended for planting. Removal: pull seedlings with all roots; cut larger stems and treat stumps, since they resprout. Birds spread the seeds, so remove fruiting plants first.","benefits":["nitrogen_fixing","edible","birds","drought_tolerant","erosion_control"],"uses":["hedgerow"],"cautions":["invasive_elsewhere","thorns","messy_fruit"],"image_url":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6d/Elaeagnus_umbellata1.jpg","image_credit":"KENPEI, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons","sources":["https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/elaeagnus-umbellata/","https://plants.usda.gov/plant-profile/ELUM","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elaeagnus_umbellata","https://www.mda.state.mn.us/plants-insects/minnesota-noxious-weed-list","https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Invasives/RegulatedSpecies","https://cipwg.uconn.edu/invasive_plant_list/","https://gc.nh.gov/rules/state_agencies/agr3800.html","https://extapps.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/isprohibitedplants2.pdf","https://www.in.gov/dnr/rules-and-regulations/invasive-species/terrestrial-invasive-species-plants","https://www.massnrc.org/mipag/invasive.htm","https://www.pa.gov/en/agencies/dcnr/conservation/wild-plants/invasive-plants/invasive-plant-fact-sheets.html","https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural-heritage/document/nh-invasive-plant-list-2024.pdf","https://www.ontarioinvasiveplants.ca/invasive-plants/species/autumn-olive-2/"],"data_note":null,"updated_at":"2026-11-08T01:00:46.205Z","page_url":"https://treerm.org/trees/elaeagnus-umbellata","markdown_url":"https://treerm.org/trees/elaeagnus-umbellata.md","regions":[{"country":"JP","region":null,"locality":null,"status":"native","note":"Native to eastern Asia from the Himalayas to Japan.","source_url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elaeagnus_umbellata"},{"country":"CA","region":"ON","locality":null,"status":"invasive","note":"Listed as an invasive plant by the Ontario Invasive Plant Council.","source_url":"https://www.ontarioinvasiveplants.ca/invasive-plants/species/autumn-olive-2/"},{"country":"US","region":"MA","locality":null,"status":"invasive","note":"Rated Invasive by the Massachusetts Invasive Plant Advisory Group.","source_url":"https://www.massnrc.org/mipag/invasive.htm"},{"country":"US","region":"PA","locality":null,"status":"invasive","note":"On Pennsylvania DCNR's invasive plant fact sheet list.","source_url":"https://www.pa.gov/en/agencies/dcnr/conservation/wild-plants/invasive-plants/invasive-plant-fact-sheets.html"},{"country":"US","region":"VA","locality":null,"status":"invasive","note":"Virginia DCR Invasive Plant Species List, High invasiveness rank.","source_url":"https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural-heritage/document/nh-invasive-plant-list-2024.pdf"},{"country":"US","region":"CT","locality":null,"status":"prohibited","note":"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":"IN","locality":null,"status":"prohibited","note":"Regulated under Indiana's Terrestrial Plant Rule (312 IAC 18-3-25): illegal to sell, distribute or transport.","source_url":"https://www.in.gov/dnr/rules-and-regulations/invasive-species/terrestrial-invasive-species-plants"},{"country":"US","region":"MN","locality":null,"status":"prohibited","note":"Restricted Noxious Weed in Minnesota: cannot be imported, sold or transported.","source_url":"https://www.mda.state.mn.us/plants-insects/minnesota-noxious-weed-list"},{"country":"US","region":"NH","locality":null,"status":"prohibited","note":"On New Hampshire's prohibited invasive species list (Agr 3800).","source_url":"https://gc.nh.gov/rules/state_agencies/agr3800.html"},{"country":"US","region":"NY","locality":null,"status":"prohibited","note":"Prohibited invasive species under 6 NYCRR Part 575: cannot be sold, imported, transported or propagated.","source_url":"https://extapps.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/isprohibitedplants2.pdf"},{"country":"US","region":"WI","locality":null,"status":"prohibited","note":"Restricted under Wisconsin NR 40.","source_url":"https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Invasives/RegulatedSpecies"}],"license":"CC-BY-4.0"}