Elaeagnus angustifolia

Taxobox
name = "Elaeagnus angustifolia"


image_width = 270px
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Rosales
familia = Elaeagnaceae
genus = "Elaeagnus"
species = "E. angustifolia"
binomial = "Elaeagnus angustifolia"
binomial_authority = L.

"Elaeagnus angustifolia" (Russian Silverberry, Oleaster, or Russian-olive) is a species of "Elaeagnus", native to western and central Asia, from southern Russia and Kazakhstan to Turkey.

It is a usually thorny shrub or small tree growing to 5-7 m in height. Its stems, buds, and leaves have a dense covering of silvery to rusty scales. The leaves are alternate, lanceolate, 4-9 cm long and 1-2.5 cm broad, with a smooth margin. The highly aromatic flowers are produced in clusters of 1-3 together, 1 cm long with a four-lobed creamy yellow corolla; they appear in early summer and are later replaced by clusters of fruit, a small cherry-like drupe 1-1.5 cm long, orange-brown covered in silvery scales. The fruit is edible and sweet, though with a dryish mealy texture.

Like all "Elaeagnus" species, it can fix nitrogen in its rootsFact|date=October 2008, enabling it to grow on bare, mineral substrates.

Cultivation

First cultivated in Germany in 1736, it is now widely grown across southern and central Europe as an ornamental plant: for its scented flowers, edible fruit, and attractive silver foliage and black bark. It was introduced into North America in the late 1800s, and subsequently naturalized into the wild. Some people consider Russian olive to be an invasive species. It often grows in riparian vegetation where overstory cottonwoods have died. It provides a plentiful source of edible fruit for birds (and is marketed in many areas as a wildlife attracting plant).

Propagation

Establishment and reproduction is primarily by seed, although some vegetative propagation also occurs. The fruit is readily eaten and disseminated by many species of birds. The plants begin to flower and fruit from three years old.

External links

* [http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?3431,3432,3433 Jepson Manual Treatment]
* [http://www.invasivespecies.gov/profiles/russolive.shtml USDA invasive species profile]
* [http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=ELAN USDA Plants Profile]
* [http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/tree/elaang/all.html Ecology]
* [http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?query_src=photos_index&where-taxon=Elaeagnus+angustifolia Photo gallery]