Appearance ²

Shrubby, usually thorny plant with long, smooth-sided leaves with silvery to rusty scales on its underside. Its stems and buds also have these scales. In June and July it has yellow flowers, which turn into silvery berries.

Introduction ²

Brought from Germany in the 1800s as an ornamental plant.

Similar Native Species ²

None, although it resembles another invasive species, Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata)

Impacts on Ecosystem ²

Outcompetes tree and shrub species, especially in disturbed areas. Drains water resources and interferes with nutrient cycling. Spread by birds, but there are fewer bird species in areas with Russian olive.

Citations ²

http://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/plants/russolive.shtml
https://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/elan1.htm
http://www.eddmaps.org/ipane/ipanespecies/shrubs/Elaeagnus_angustifolia.htm

Sources and Credits

1. (c) Dan Mullen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), http://www.flickr.com/photos/8583446@N05/2595600156
2. (c) gburg2016, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

More Info

• iNat taxon page
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• Calflora
• CalPhotos
• eFloras.org
• Flora Digital de Portugal
• Flora of North America (beta)
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• Go Botany
• HOSTS - a Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants
• IPNI (with links to POWO, WFO, and BHL)
• Jepson eFlora
• NatureServe Explorer 2.0
• NBN Atlas
• New Zealand Plant Conservation Network
• OregonFlora.org
• SEINet Symbiota portals
• Tropicos
• USDA PLANTS database
• VASCAN by Canadensys
• World Flora Online

iNat Map