Not the plant you're looking for? Search over 300,000 plants

Shrubs

Elaeagnus commutata

silver berry

A deciduous shrub to 4m in height, spreading by suckers to form thickets. It has an upright habit with silver, scaly, oval-shaped leaves up to 7cm in length, from reddish-brown shoots. Yellowish-white scented flowers appear in late spring, followed in autumn by red fruit with a mealy appearance

Other common names

silverberry
Missouri silver berry
see moresilvery-leaved oleaster

Synonyms

Elaeagnus argentea Pursh

Save to My plants

Buy this plant

Plant nurseries
2 suppliers

Ultimate height

2.5–4 metres

Time to ultimate height

5–10 years

Ultimate spread

1.5–2.5 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 West–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 GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Suckering, Columnar upright
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: N America

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
Wildlife gardens
Hedging and screens

Pruning

Pruning group 1; sucker removal if necessary, in autumn

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

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.