Elaeagnus ebbingei
Elaeagnus ebbingei · Elaeagnaceae
The gardener's calendar
Elaeagnus ebbingei is in full bloom: enjoy it, watch watering in hot weather and let spent flowers feed pollinators before pruning.
ID card
- Foliage
- Evergreen, silvered underside
- Flowering
- September to October, small cream-white flowers with intense fragrance
- Mature size
- 3 m tall, dense bushy habit
- Growth
- Fast and vigorous
- Hardiness
- Very hardy, down to -15°C
- Origin
- Horticultural hybrid (E. pungens × E. macrophylla)
- Soil type
- Well-drained, tolerant, supports poor soils
- Exposure
- Full sun preferred
✓ Taxonomy verifiedSource: AI estimate · hardiness: reliability high.
Expert tips
The key tip
Elaeagnus appreciates poor, even sandy soils; overly rich soil or frequent watering creates a soft plant with few flowers. Light pruning after flowering maintains density.
The common mistake
Amending the soil and watering it like a regular plant makes it grow soft foliage at the expense of those highly fragrant autumn flowers.
The pro's trick
Don't amend it: plant it directly in poor or even rocky soil.
Seasonal watch
In September-October, the flowers attract bees massively: if it's near a walkway, stings are rare but possible.
Care
Watering
Water regularly during the first year to ensure establishment. Once established, Ebbinge's elaeagnus is very drought-resistant and requires virtually no watering. In very hot regions or on light soils, occasional summer watering improves growth.
Exposure
Plant your elaeagnus in full sun for generous flowering and compact foliage. It tolerates partial shade but will be less vigorous. It copes very well with hot exposures and winds, particularly coastal spray.
Pruning and maintenance
Perform light pruning after flowering to maintain a balanced bushy habit. Remove dead or poorly oriented branches. The elaeagnus accepts harder pruning if needed. Annual pruning maintains a compact, dense silhouette.
Soil
Ebbinge's elaeagnus adapts to all soil types, even poor or chalky ones. Favour well-drained soil to avoid root asphyxiation. Adding potting soil or compost at planting time is sufficient; no further enrichment is necessary.
Fertilizer
Undemanding, the elaeagnus requires no fertilizer. An application of balanced fertilizer in spring of the second year can boost growth on very poor soil, but this is generally unnecessary.
Diseases and pests
Very hardy and resistant, Ebbinge's elaeagnus is little affected by diseases and pests. Watch for stagnant excess moisture which could promote root rot. Good air circulation around the canopy prevents any fungal problems.
Did you know?
Ebbinge's elaeagnus is a hybrid created by German horticulturist Ebbinge in the early twentieth century. Its small cream-white flowers are among the most fragrant in the Elaeagnaceae family and release an intense sweet aroma in late autumn, attracting late pollinators. Once little known, this shrub is becoming popular in coastal and urban gardens thanks to its great hardiness and exceptional tolerance of difficult conditions.
Where to buy it
Best planted in autumn so the roots settle in before summer, or in early spring once the frost has passed. Pick a plant with healthy foliage and roots that are not exposed. Best time: March, October, November.
Add this plant to my garden →Plants from the same family
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Tips generated and checked by Viridia — adapt them to your local climate.