Back to main Search Page

Elaeagnus angustifolia - L.

Oleaster

Author	L.	Botanical references	11, 93, 200
Family	Elaeagnaceae	Genus	Elaeagnus
Synonyms	Elaeagnus argentea - non Pursh. Elaeagnus hortensis - Bieb.
Known Hazards	None known
Range	Europe to W. Asia, extending as far north as latitude 55° in Russia.
Habitat	By streams and along river banks to 3000 metres in Turkey[93].
Edibility Rating	4 (1-5)	Medicinal Rating	2 (1-5)

Physical Characteristics

A decidious Shrub growing to 7m by 7m at a medium rate.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, requires well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline and saline soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure.

Habitats

Woodland Garden; Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; Hedge;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Fruit; Seed.

Fruit - raw or cooked as a seasoning in soups[1, 2, 3, 100, 146, 74]. Dry, sweet and mealy[11, 145, 183]. The fruit can also be made into jellies or sherbets[183]. The fruit must be fully ripe before it can be enjoyed raw, if even slightly under-ripe it will be quite astringent[K]. The oval fruit is about 10mm long[200] and contains a single large seed[K]. Seed - raw or cooked. It can be eaten with the fruit though the seed case is rather fibrous[K].

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.

Cancer; Febrifuge; Pectoral.

The oil from the seeds is used with syrup as an electuary in the treatment of catarrh and bronchial affections[240]. The juice of the flowers has been used in the treatment of malignant fevers[240]. The fruit of many members of this genus is a very rich source of vitamins and minerals, especially in vitamins A, C and E, flavanoids and other bio-active compounds. It is also a fairly good source of essential fatty acids, which is fairly unusual for a fruit. It is being investigated as a food that is capable of reducing the incidence of cancer and also as a means of halting or reversing the growth of cancers[214].

Other Uses

Essential; Fuel; Gum; Hedge; Wood.

Plants can be grown as a hedge in exposed positions[29], tolerating maritime exposure[200]. It is fairly fast-growing and very tolerant of pruning, but is rather open in habit and does not form a dense screen[K]. Because the plant fixes atmospheric nitrogen, it makes a hedge that enriches the soil rather than depriving it of nutrients[K]. An essential oil obtained from the flowers is used in perfumery[74]. A gum from the plant is used in the textile industry in calico printing[74]. Wood - hard, fine-grained. Used for posts, beams, domestic items[74, 100], it is also much used for carving[245]. The wood is an excellent fuel[74, 146].

Scented Plants

Flowers: Fresh

The flowers are sweetly and heavily scented.

Cultivation details

An easily grown plant, it succeeds in most soils that are well-drained[200], though it dislikes shallow chalk soils[98]. Prefers a light sandy soil that is only moderately fertile[11], succeeding in poor soils and dry soils[11, 200]. Requires a position in full sun, growing very well in hot dry positions[182]. Plants are very drought and wind resistant[1, 166, 200], they tolerate conditions of considerable salinity and alkalinity[227]. A very hardy plant, tolerating temperatures down to about -40°c[184]. However, plants prefer a continental climate[49] and are apt to be cut back in severe winters in Britain because the summer is often not warm enough to have fully ripened the wood[1]. A very variable species[214]. This species is often cultivated in N. Europe for its edible fruits, there are many named varieties and some of these are thornless[214]. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[160, 200]. An excellent companion plant, when grown in orchards it can increase yields from the fruit trees by up to 10%. Plants are very tolerant of pruning, they usually resprout freely even when cut right back to the ground. This species is notably resistant to honey fungus[88, 200]. The flowers are sweetly and heavily scented[184].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame[78]. It should germinate in late winter or early spring, though it may take 18 months[K]. Stored seed can be very slow to germinate, often taking more than 18 months. A warm stratification for 4 weeks followed by 12 weeks cold stratification can help[98]. The seed usually (eventually) germinates quite well[78]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pot as soon as they are large enough to handle and plant out when they are at least 15cm tall. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 7 - 10cm with a heel, July/August in a frame. Difficult[113]. Cuttings of mature wood of the current year's growth, 10 - 12cm with a heel, October/November in a frame[200]. The cuttings are rather slow and difficult to root, leave them for 12 months[113]. Layering in September/October. Takes 12 months[78]. Root cuttings in the winter[200].

Cultivars

No entries have been made for this species as yet.

Links

This plant is also mentioned in the following PFAF articles: Alternative Food Crops.

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[2] Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.

[3] Simmons. A. E. Growing Unusual Fruit. David and Charles 1972 ISBN 0-7153-5531-7
A very readable book with information on about 100 species that can be grown in Britain (some in greenhouses) and details on how to grow and use them.

[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.

[29] Shepherd. F.W. Hedges and Screens. Royal Horticultural Society. 1974 ISBN 0900629649
A small but informative booklet giving details of all the hedging plants being grown in the R.H.S. gardens at Wisley in Surrey.

[49] Arnold-Forster. Shrubs for the Milder Counties. 0
Trees and shrubs that grow well in Cornwall and other mild areas of Britain. Fairly good, a standard reference book.

[74] Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR. Israel Program for Scientific Translation 1968
An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers.

[78] Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948
A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.

[88] RHS. The Garden. Volume 112. Royal Horticultural Society 1987
Snippets of information from the magazine of the RHS. In particular, there are articles on plants that are resistant to honey fungus, oriental vegetables, Cimicifuga spp, Passiflora species and Cucurbits.

[93] Davis. P. H. Flora of Turkey. Edinburgh University Press 1965
Not for the casual reader, this is an immense work in many volumes. Some details of plant uses and habitats.

[98] Gordon. A. G. and Rowe. D. C. f. Seed Manual for Ornamental Trees and Shrubs. 0
Very comprehensive guide to growing trees and shrubs from seed. Not for the casual reader.

[100] Polunin. O. Flowers of Europe - A Field Guide. Oxford University Press 1969 ISBN 0192176218
An excellent and well illustrated pocket guide for those with very large pockets. Also gives some details on plant uses.

[113] Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987 ISBN 0942375009
A very detailed book on propagating trees. Not for the casual reader.

[145] Singh. Dr. G. and Kachroo. Prof. Dr. P. Forest Flora of Srinagar. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh 1976
A good flora of the western Himalayas but poorly illustrated. Some information on plant uses.

[146] Gamble. J. S. A Manual of Indian Timbers. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh 1972
Written last century, but still a classic, giving a lot of information on the uses and habitats of Indian trees. Not for the casual reader.

[160] Natural Food Institute, Wonder Crops. 1987. 0
Fascinating reading, this is an annual publication. Some reports do seem somewhat exaggerated though.

[166] Taylor. J. The Milder Garden. Dent 1990
A good book on plants that you didn't know could be grown outdoors in Britain.

[182] Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray 1992 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2
Contains a wide range of plants with a brief description, mainly of their ornamental value but also usually of cultivation details and varieties.

[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[184] Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Shrubs. Pan Books 1989 ISBN 0-330-30258-2
Excellent photographs and a terse description of 1900 species and cultivars.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[214] Matthews. V. The New Plantsman. Volume 1, 1994. Royal Horticultural Society 1994 ISBN 1352-4186
A quarterly magazine, it has articles on Himalayacalamus hookerianus, hardy Euphorbias and an excellent article on Hippophae spp.

[227] Vines. R.A. Trees of North Texas University of Texas Press. 1982 ISBN 0292780206
A readable guide to the area, it contains descriptions of the plants and their habitats with quite a bit of information on plant uses.

[240] Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986
Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.

[245] Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.

Readers Comments

Plants for a Future does not verify the accuracy of reader comments, use at your own risk. In particular Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. You should always consult a professional before using plants medicinally.

Elaeagnus multiflora

Jeff Grover Mon Aug 07 10:53:37 2000

I'm glad I finally found your web page. I've been growing Elaeagnus multiflora for six years as a fruit crop and have been searching for others doing the same.

The original two plants were E. multiflora grafted on either E. umbellata or E. angustifolia rootstock. This grafted plant produces blossoms in April to produce a heavy crop around the first of July. Besides wood ash from the wood stove there has been no soil amenities added. They are planted on a 25 degree slope with virtually no topsoil over clay .

The USDA Zone for here is 6 but due to the altitude (1400 ft) and heavy rainfall (45 in) we tend to get a lot of freezing rain in the winter and some very hard frosts late in the spring.

The reason I chose E. multiflora for an orchard crop was for the hardiness and the fact that deer won't eat them, as they have everything else in the orchard, and I can harvest a unique berry for the tourist market here.

The information provided on your web page is not available in American horticulture books and is an inspiration for me to expand my orchard.

Elaeagnus angustifolia

Rich Tue Nov 21 20:19:03 2000

Autumn olive is a very troublesome invasive species in Virginia. In addition to its prolific fruiting, seed dispersal by birds, rapid growth and ability to thrive in poor soils, Autumn olive resprouts vigorously after cutting or burning. It creates heavy shade which suppresses plants that require direct sunlight.

Although less abundant in Virginia, Russian olive poses similar threats. In the western United States it has become a major problem in riparian woodlands, threatening even large, hardy native trees such as cottonwood.

Taken from Virginia Natural Heritage Program.

Elaeagnus multiflora

marguerite nabinger Fri Jun 1 07:59:14 2001

I was recently reading a website on sustainable agriculture called Wild Thyme Farm which is located in the Oregon/Washington area of the US. He was very enthusiastic about this plant and suggested planting it liberally in pasture areas for forage for cattle. He suggested the plant be coppiced so that it would put out abundant shoots after being cut back. That might be an idea for plant control if the eleagnus is running wild, just turn a herd of goats out in it for a few days!

Elaeagnus - Autumn Olive

Fri Oct 19 17:22:06 2001

I am confuzzeled here. I understand that Autum Olive is Elaeagnus angustifolia (oringe/red berries), common in the Virginias while Umbellata is the Russian Olive (Yellow berries) rare her but common in the West.

Elaeagnus angustifolia

Ken Weber Tue Jun 21 20:41:10 2005

My son and I cleared Autumn Olive bushes from a Boy Scout camp as part of a service project here in Central Missouri. It had started to take over the edges of the woodland areas and was drowning out native species such as flowering dogwood and redbud trees. The caretaker at the camp said it was "good for nothing". I am a wood carver in my spare time, so tried some of the wood for carving and found that it is a beautifully workable wood for that purpose. It has a tight grain, dense, almost waxy texture when green. After heat treating, it becomes extremely hard and when sanded with fine grain sandpaper takes on a texture similar to a fine white marble or alabaster. It made for some beautiful walking sticks, a fine flute, and very nice wooden beads (made a lovely rosary). I found myself wishing I could find more places that wanted this invasive brush cleared, just so I could harvest the wood for carving.

Elaeagnus angustifolia

david nicholls Sun May 7 2006

I found Elaeagnus angustifolia performed pretty well in the face of regular hurricane force (120km/hr)winds with some salt. Better than any reasonable quality fruit tree I tried, I tried a lot. I abandoned the section for permaculture, wasnt there long enough to see if it fruited. Took one with me to my new sheltered moist place,it's not doing so well, lives but doesn't seem to be growing. I'd agree about it also liking dry & not too fertile. I wonder how good it tastes.

Elaeagnus angustifolia

Kim Bentz Sun Jun 4 2006

If can the flowers be used for teas? I don't wish to be foolish, but it's hard to imaging something so sweet being anything other than delicious, although harvesting could be a pain with the very short flowering season. If you have any information, please place comments on http://kim-bentz.blogspot.com. thanks.

Add a comment/link:

Discussion Monitor

To have posts to this page mailed to you enter your email address here:

(Your email address will not appear on the webpage or be passed on to third parties).