| Scientific Name: | Elaeagnus angustifolia |
| Common Name: | Russian olive |
| Family Name: | Elaeagnaceae |
| Origin: | Central / west Asia, Europe |
| Hardiness Zone: | Zone 3: (-40 to -34 °C) |
| Plant Type: | Invasive plant, Shrub - deciduous, Tree - deciduous |
| Mature Size: | 5 - 7m x 5 - 7m (height x width) |
| Habit: | Spreading, Upright |
| Form: | Round |
| Texture: | Medium - fine |
| Landscape Uses: | Attract birds, Hedge row, Screening, Summer interest, Wildlife food |
| Exposure: | Full sun |
| Soil or Media: | Rocky or gravelly or dry, Well-drained |
| Leaves: | Simple, Alternate, Soft flexible, Pubescent, Tomentose, Lanceolate, Entire |
| Flowers: | Flowers clustered, White, Yellow, Jul-Aug |
| Fruit: | Achene, Drupe, Edible, (Accessory tissue), Orange, Green, Red, Silver, Sep |
| Key ID Features: | |
| Leaves alternate, lanceolate, most blades 3–8(-13)cm long x 1-1.5(-2.5)cm wide, margin entire, lower surface with dense covering of silvery to rusty scales; flowers in clusters of 1-3, each ~1cm long with a four-lobed creamy yellow calyx, early summer; fruit oval, most 9-17mm long x 5-8mm wide, green, maturing orange-red in warmer climates, covered in silvery scales. Winter ID: twigs pubescent, thorns 1.5-3cm long. | |