Trees of Michigan Field Guide by Stan Tekiela

Author:Stan Tekiela
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781591939689
Publisher: Adventure Publications
Published: 2020-05-14T16:00:00+00:00

flower

bark

fruit

thorn

Russian-olive

Elaeagnus angustifolia

    Family: Oleaster (Elaeagnaceae)

    Height: 10–20' (3–6 m)

      Tree: single crooked trunk that is often divided low, open irregular crown

      Leaf: simple, lance-shaped, 1–4" (2.5–10 cm) in length, alternately attached, blunt tip or sharp tip, margin lacking teeth, gray above and below, leaves and twigs covered with grayish-white hairs

      Bark: light gray with shallow furrows, thorns on twigs

    Flower: 4-petaled yellow flower, ¼–½" (.6–1 cm) wide

      Fruit: dry gray-to-yellow olive-like fruit, ¼–½" (.6–1 cm) diameter, containing 1 seed

 Fall Color: brown

Origin/Age: non-native, introduced from Europe; 50–75 years

    Habitat: wide variety of soils

    Range: throughout, usually seen near old farmsteads and parks, formerly planted as an ornamental

Stan’s Notes: Was planted in North America for its unusual gray leaves and olive-like fruit, often as a shelterbelt. While it’s no longer planted, it has escaped from gardens, yards, and parks and now grows in the wild (naturalized). Spread by birds, which pass the seeds through their digestive tracts unharmed. Twigs are often scaly and armed with very long thorns (see inset) that have a salmon-colored pith. The species name, angustifolia, means “narrow leaf.” Also called Oleaster or Narrow-leaf Oleaster.

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