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Elaeagnus umbellata

autumn olive

Elaeagnaceae eastern Asia

Attracts Pollinators Drought Tolerant Fragrant (strong)

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 3–8

Overview

Elaeagnus umbellata is a deciduous, multi-stemmed shrub native to eastern Asia, reaching 10-16 feet (3-5 m) tall and wide, often with thorny branches. The alternate leaves are 2-4 inches (5-10 cm) long, green above and coated in silvery scales beneath that give the whole plant a gray cast. Clusters of small, tubular cream to pale-yellow flowers open in mid to late spring and are strongly fragrant. By autumn the shrub bears abundant small round fruits about 0.3 inch (8 mm) wide, red and flecked with silvery dots, edible and tart. Its roots fix nitrogen through bacterial nodules, letting it grow on poor, disturbed soils where many shrubs cannot. E. umbellata was planted widely for erosion control and wildlife food but spreads aggressively from bird-dispersed seed and is regulated as invasive across much of the central and eastern United States. It forms dense stands that shade out native vegetation and alter soil chemistry through nitrogen enrichment. It tolerates drought, salt, and a broad range of soils.

Native Range

Elaeagnus umbellata is native to eastern Asia, including China, Korea, and Japan. It was introduced to North America in the 1830s and later promoted for soil stabilization and wildlife plantings, and has since naturalized throughout the central and eastern United States.

Suggested Uses

Elaeagnus umbellata was once grown for erosion control, windbreaks, and wildlife food, but those uses have ended across its invasive range. It now has no recommended landscape use in much of North America, where effort focuses on removal. Birds feed on the fruit and spread the seed into new ground.

How to Identify

The leaves have a silvery, scaly underside that flashes pale when wind turns them, set against a darker green upper surface. Branches often carry short thorns, and the spring flowers are tubular, cream to yellow, and strongly scented. Ripe fruits are red and dotted with tiny silver flecks.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height10' - 16'

Width/Spread10' - 16'

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~4 weeks

Spring

Fragrant cream to pale-yellow flowers open in mid to late spring, roughly April into June depending on region. The tubular flowers hang in small clusters along the previous-season stems. Fruit follows over summer and ripens red in early to mid autumn.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

cream to pale yellow

Foliage Description

green above, silvery beneath

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 4-8 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.0 - 8.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

sand loam clay rocky

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

3-5 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Elaeagnus umbellata grows in full sun to light shade on a broad range of soils, including dry, sandy, and nutrient-poor ground, and tolerates drought and salt once established. Its nitrogen-fixing roots let it grow where other shrubs struggle, so it needs no fertilizer or routine care. It resprouts strongly after cutting and regenerates quickly from seed, which complicates control. Because it is regulated as invasive across much of its introduced range, planting it is prohibited in many states. Management combines cutting with stump treatment and removal of seedlings, repeated over several years. The shrub has few serious pests or diseases.

Pruning

Cutting the stems alone triggers vigorous resprouting from the base. Where removal is the aim, cut stumps are treated and young plants pulled while the soil is moist. The species is not pruned for ornament, as it is no longer grown in managed plantings across its invasive range.