# Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia)

> 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.

Source: https://treerm.org/trees/elaeagnus-angustifolia · Updated 2026-11-08 · License CC BY 4.0

## Facts

- Also called: Oleaster, Silver berry
- Family: Elaeagnaceae
- Type: Broadleaf, loses its leaves in winter
- Mature height: 8 m; spread 6 m
- Growth: Fast growing
- USDA hardiness zones: 2 to 7
- Light: Full sun
- Water: Low water
- 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.

**Benefits:** Drought tolerant, Salt tolerant, Fixes nitrogen, Windbreak, Birds

**Good for:** Windbreak

**Watch out for:** Invasive elsewhere, Thorns, Messy fruit

## 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.

## Where it stands

- **Native:** Türkiye (Native to western and central Asia.)
- **Invasive:** United States (NC State notes it dominates riparian areas in the central and western US; naturalized from Maine to the Pacific Northwest.); NM, United States (Class C noxious weed on the New Mexico Noxious Weed List.); PA, United States (On Pennsylvania DCNR's invasive plant fact sheet list (combined Elaeagnus sheet).)
- **Prohibited:** CT, United States (Potentially Invasive on the Connecticut Invasive Plant List; sale and movement prohibited by statute.); UT, United States (Class 4 noxious weed in Utah: prohibited for sale or propagation.); WI, United States (Restricted under Wisconsin NR 40: transport, transfer and introduction require a permit.)

## 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