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Elaeagnaceae
Autumn Olive
Elaeagnus umbellata
Persistence and controversy.
- Family
- Elaeagnaceae
- Genus
- Elaeagnus
- Native to
- Eastern Asia, China, Japan, Korea
- Bloom season
- Spring
- Type
- shrub
- Height
- 10-18 ft
- Sunlight
- full sun
- Soil
- adaptable, tolerates poor soils
- Water
- low
- Hardiness
- 3-8
- Lifespan
- perennial
Did you know
- Its roots host nitrogen-fixing bacteria, allowing it to thrive in the poorest soils where other plants cannot grow.
- Introduced to the US in the 1830s for erosion control, it is now considered a highly invasive species in many states.
- The small berries contain 17 times more lycopene than tomatoes, sparking interest in its nutritional value.
- Its fragrant spring flowers produce a sweet, intoxicating scent detectable from hundreds of feet away.
- A single mature plant can produce up to 200,000 seeds per year, which are spread by birds across vast distances.
Color meanings
0
persistence
1
adaptability
2
caution