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Shrubs

Elaeagnus umbellata

autumn olive

A deciduous bushy shrub to around 5m tall and wide. Its leaves are narrowly oval with wavy edges, 5-10cm long, silvery when young before maturing to green but staying silvery beneath. Fragrant creamy-yellow flowers borne in small clusters in late spring to early summer are followed by egg-shaped silvery fruit that ripen to red

Other common names

autumn oleaster

Synonyms

Elaeagnus crispa

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Ultimate height

4–8 metres

Time to ultimate height

5–10 years

Ultimate spread

4–8 metres

Chalk

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained, Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing or North–facing or West–facing or East–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Elaeagnaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Bushy
Genus: Elaeagnus can be deciduous or evergreen shrubs or small trees, with simple, often silvery-scaled leaves, and small fragrant tubular flowers borne in clusters in the leaf axils, and followed by small juicy fruit
Name status: Correct
Plant range: Himal. China Japan

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in full sun; will thrive in any well-drained soil, including poor soil, except very shallow chalk

Propagation

Propagate by seed or by softwood or semi-ripe cuttings

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Coastal
Cottage and informal garden
Mediterranean climate plants
Wildlife gardens
Low Maintenance
Hedging and screens

Pruning

Pruning group 1

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free but may be susceptible to honey fungus, coral spot or leaf spot (fungal) see leaf damage on woody plants

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