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Shrubs

Elaeagnus angustifolia

Russian olive

A deciduous, spreading shrub to 6m in height, with red-tinted, silvery shoots, sometimes spiky. Leaves are oval-shaped, to 10cm in length, dark green above and silver and scaly underneath. Small, fragrant creamy-yellow flowers from silvery buds appear in summer, followed by scaly, silvery-yellow fruit in autumn

Other common names

oleaster
Russian olive
see moresilver berry
Trebizond date
wild olive

Synonyms

Elaeagnus angustifolia var. orientalis
Elaeagnus argentea Moench

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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

West–facing or South–facing or East–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Drought resistance

Yes

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 the UK: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Spreading branched, 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: Asia

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in well-drained soil in full sun, tolerant of dry soil and coastal winds but may become chlorotic on shallow chalky soils

Propagation

Propagate by semi-hardwood cuttings or remove rooted suckers in autumn

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Coastal
Cottage and informal garden
Wildlife gardens
Low Maintenance
Flower borders and beds
Hedging and screens

Pruning

Pruning group 1

Pests

Generally pest-free but may be susceptible to elaeagnus sucker

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus, coral spot or leaf spot (fungal) see leaf damage on woody plants

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