TreeRM

Autumn olive

Elaeagnus umbellata 路 Elaeagnaceae 路 also Japanese silverberry, Autumnberry

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.

Broadleaf, drops leavesFast growingSun or part shadeLow water
Autumn olive
KENPEI, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Where it stands

Native

  • 馃嚡馃嚨 Japan 路 Native to eastern Asia from the Himalayas to Japan.source

Invasive

  • 馃嚚馃嚘 ON, Canada 路 Listed as an invasive plant by the Ontario Invasive Plant Council.source
  • 馃嚭馃嚫 MA, United States 路 Rated Invasive by the Massachusetts Invasive Plant Advisory Group.source
  • 馃嚭馃嚫 PA, United States 路 On Pennsylvania DCNR's invasive plant fact sheet list.source
  • 馃嚭馃嚫 VA, United States 路 Virginia DCR Invasive Plant Species List, High invasiveness rank.source

Prohibited

  • 馃嚭馃嚫 CT, United States 路 Invasive on the Connecticut Invasive Plant List; sale and movement prohibited by statute.source
  • 馃嚭馃嚫 IN, United States 路 Regulated under Indiana's Terrestrial Plant Rule (312 IAC 18-3-25): illegal to sell, distribute or transport.source
  • 馃嚭馃嚫 MN, United States 路 Restricted Noxious Weed in Minnesota: cannot be imported, sold or transported.source
  • 馃嚭馃嚫 NH, United States 路 On New Hampshire's prohibited invasive species list (Agr 3800).source
  • 馃嚭馃嚫 NY, United States 路 Prohibited invasive species under 6 NYCRR Part 575: cannot be sold, imported, transported or propagated.source
  • 馃嚭馃嚫 WI, United States 路 Restricted under Wisconsin NR 40.source

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

Fixes nitrogenEdibleBirdsDrought tolerantHolds soil

Good for

Hedgerow

Watch out for

Invasive elsewhereThornsMessy fruit