Autumn olive
Elaeagnus umbellata · Elaeagnaceae
📷 KENPEI · CC BY-SA 3.0
The gardener's calendar
In autumn, ease off feeding and take the chance to clean up around autumn olive and prepare for winter.
ID card
- Foliage
- Deciduous, grayish-green, silvery undersides
- Blooming
- April to May, small very fragrant white flowers
- Adult size
- Approximately 4 m tall and 3 to 4 m wide
- Growth
- Fast
- Hardiness
- Excellent, down to -25 °C
- Origin
- Asia (China, Japan, Manchuria)
- Soil type
- Undemanding, tolerates poor and chalky soils
- Fruits
- Red-orange edible berries (August-September)
✓ Taxonomy verifiedSource: AI estimate · hardiness: reliability high.
Expert tips
The key tip
Elaeagnus umbellata suckers and self-seeds: keep it in check by removing shoots as soon as they appear (May/June). Light annual pruning keeps it compact and productive.
The common mistake
Letting it sucker freely: it'll colonize your garden in 5 years.
The pro's trick
Harvest its small berries (August/September): slightly tart, packed with lycopene.
Care
Exposure
Your elaeagnus loves full sun for abundant flowering and optimal fruiting. It tolerates light partial shade however. Place it in an open spot where air circulates well, as this plant prefers aerated conditions.
Watering
Water regularly during the first year to establish the root system. Once established, elaeagnus is very drought-tolerant. Water moderately in summer during extended heat waves. Avoid excess moisture which promotes rot.
Soil and preparation
This species adapts to almost all soil types, including poor and chalky ones. Good drainage is desirable. At planting, enrich lightly with compost, but no special amendments are necessary afterward.
Fertilizing
Fertilizing is not essential. Light spring feeding with balanced fertilizer can promote better flowering and fruiting. Avoid excess nitrogen which increases foliage at the expense of flowers.
Pruning and maintenance
Prune after flowering (late May-June) to maintain a compact and balanced shape. Elaeagnus tolerates pruning well and can be shaped as a shrub or left in natural form. Remove dead or crossing branches.
Pests and diseases
Very hardy plant and rarely subject to diseases. Some aphids may appear in spring without serious consequence. Scale insects are occasional. Chemical treatment is usually unnecessary; good hygiene and proper air circulation are sufficient.
Did you know?
Elaeagnus is a remarkable pioneer plant: its roots harbor nitrogen-fixing bacteria, allowing it to enrich poor soils. This characteristic made it very popular in Japan for ecological restoration of degraded lands. Its sweet-tart fruits, consumed fresh or made into jams, have fed populations of Northeast Asia for centuries.
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
- Sea buckthornHippophae rhamnoides
- Russian oliveElaeagnus angustifolia
- Cherry silverberryElaeagnus multiflora
- Elaeagnus ebbingeiElaeagnus ebbingei
- Canadian buffalo berryShepherdia canadensis
- SilverberryElaeagnus commutata
Tips generated and checked by Viridia — adapt them to your local climate.