Elaeagnus
( el - ee - AG - nus )
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At-A-Glance InformationThis is a group of deciduous and evergreen shrubs and trees that needs full sun to partial shade and little to regular water. They are commonly called Silverberry or Oleaster. The berries produced by these plants will attract birds to your garden. These serve as great screen plants in the yard and grow quickly to a dense habit without much training needed. Evergreen forms will have silver or brown dots on leaves, and deciduous forms will have silvery-grey leaves. Flowers are insignificant but fragrant. Use these shrubs as background plantings, as specimen trees, or in mixed beds.
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elaeagnus Species and Varietals
The genus Elaeagnus includes between 50 and 70 distinct species and is a member of the Elaeagnaceae, or Oleaster, family. It was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1754 Elaeagnus growing zones vary depending on species; see the descriptions below for more information. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.
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Elaeagnus angustifolia (Russian Olive) This deciduous tree grows best in zones A2, A3, 1-3, 7-14, 18 and 19. Native to Europe and Asia. Grows to 20 feet tall and wide, but can be hedged. Bark is shredding and dark brown, contrasting with willowlike gray leaves. Small, very fragrant flowers appear in early summer followed by fruit resembling olives (hence the name Russian Olive). Variety 'Red King' has bright red fruit. This tree may become invasive. Fruit is edible. |
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Elaeagnus 'Coral Silver' This shrub grows best in zones 2-24 and is evergreen in zones 19-24 (partially deciduous elsewhere). Gets 5-10 feet tall with yellow flowers. Has bright grey foliage and coral-red berries in autumn. |
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Elaeagnus x ebbingei This is an evergreen, hybrid-species shrub that grows best in zones 4-24 and has thornless branches. Silvery young leaves mature to a dark green. Tiny, fragrant silvery flowers. Its red fruit makes a good jelly. Variety 'Gilt Edge' has yellow leaf margins. |
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Elaeagnus multiflora This deciduous shrub grows best in zones 2b-24. Hails from China and Japan and gets to 6-10 feet tall and wide. Silvery green leaves and small, fragrant spring flowers followed by bright orange berries. Fruit is edible but pretty tart and is loved by birds. |
Elaeagnus pungens (Silverberry, Thorny Olive)
Evergreen shrub, best in zones 4-24 with a rigid, sprawling, angular habit. Gets 10-15 feet wide, but tolerates pruning and can be sheared into a hedge. Greyish green leaves have rusty dots, and branches are spiny. Oval fruit is red with silver dust. Can be used as a container plant. Varieties are outlined below.
Evergreen shrub, best in zones 4-24 with a rigid, sprawling, angular habit. Gets 10-15 feet wide, but tolerates pruning and can be sheared into a hedge. Greyish green leaves have rusty dots, and branches are spiny. Oval fruit is red with silver dust. Can be used as a container plant. Varieties are outlined below.
'Fruitlandii'
Has large, silvery leaves. |
'Maculata'
(Golden Elaeagnus) With gold-blotched leaves. |
'Marginata'
(Silver-Edge Elaeagnus) Silvery leaf margins. |
'Variegata'
(Yellow-Edge Elaeagnus) Yellow leaf margins. |
Caring for and pruning Elaeagnus shrubs
These shrubs do well in poor soils, and are nitrogen-fixing. They are fast-growing, and long-lived, providing increasing foliage every year. Use these shrubs as specimens, for screening, or as trimmed hedges. Plant Elaeagnus in either full sun or partial shade; they will grow quicker and more densely the more sun they receive. They prefer well-draining, moist soil, but once established can tolerate dry soil as well. Elaeagnus shrubs like soil that is acid to slightly alkaline (between a pH of 6.0 and 7.5). When plants are young, feed in late winter or early spring with a slow-release balanced shrub and tree fertilizer. When established, these shrubs do not need fertilizing; a simple dressing of organic material each year is sufficient.
Throughout the year, prune to remove dead or damaged branches. Each year in late winter, a pruning for shape can be completed if necessary. If growing as a hedge, use hedge trimmers a few times a year during the active growing season, and cease pruning about two months before frosts will occur in your area. Older shrubs and those that have outgrown their space can be hard-pruned in late wintertime when the plant is dormant. They can be cut all the way back to half or even a height of 6-12 inches, depending on how much rejuvenation is needed. Elaeagnus shrubs can be either grown in-ground or in a container; for container shrubs provide more water, feedings, and pruning than their in-ground counterparts. Pot-up when necessary to avoid the plant becoming root-bound.
Throughout the year, prune to remove dead or damaged branches. Each year in late winter, a pruning for shape can be completed if necessary. If growing as a hedge, use hedge trimmers a few times a year during the active growing season, and cease pruning about two months before frosts will occur in your area. Older shrubs and those that have outgrown their space can be hard-pruned in late wintertime when the plant is dormant. They can be cut all the way back to half or even a height of 6-12 inches, depending on how much rejuvenation is needed. Elaeagnus shrubs can be either grown in-ground or in a container; for container shrubs provide more water, feedings, and pruning than their in-ground counterparts. Pot-up when necessary to avoid the plant becoming root-bound.
Propagation
Elaeagnus shrubs are best propagated via semi-ripe cuttings taken in summertime. To propagate your Silverberry shrub, follow these instructions:
Propagating Elaeagnus by Cutting
Propagating Elaeagnus by Cutting
- Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand.
- In spring or early summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 6 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
- Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth on your propagated shrub, you'll know you have roots.
- Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new shrub.
Problems and Pests
Although generally free of pest or disease issues, Elaeagnus shrubs can suffer from Fungal Leaf Spot. For more information on this issue, including how to prevent and eradicate it, see the links below:
Gallery
Plant Elaeagnus shrubs along driveways to define the space.
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Elaeagnus shrubs make great hedges, and require little pruning.
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Silverberry shrubs provide varying colors of silver and green to otherwise monochromatic landscapes.
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Videos
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How to grow Silverberry.
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Permaculture gardening with Silverberry shrubs.
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Resources
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Pages 298 - 299, Elaeagnus
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