Information Last Reviewed June 2007
Family: Elaeagnaceae
Symbol: ELAN
Home Range/U.S. Introduction:
Russian olive, native to southern Europe and central and western Asia, was intentionally introduced into the United States in the 1800’s. During the 1930s and 1940s it was recommended for use as windbreaks in the Great Plains region. Today it is most problematic in central and western U.S. although it is widespread in the East where it occurs with autumn olive.
U.S. Range Map:
Generic Description:
Russian olive is a shrub or small tree to 5 m tall. It branches profusely, the branch tips often terminated by a sharp simple spine. Current year branchlets, petioles and leaves are covered with a silvery grey tomentum. In age the branches become tawny brown and glabrous. The light green leaves are deciduous but often persist on the plant into the winter. The simple lanceolate blades are entire 3-8 cm long, by 0.5-2 cm wide. They are widest in the middle and taper toward the apex and the base. The pedicellate flowers occur singly or in small clusters (1-3) in the axils of leaves or laterally at the base of current season branchlets. The perfect fragrant flowers lack petals but have 4 sepals that are yellow on the inner surface. The oval pubescent fruit is a drupelike achene yellow to silvery in color.
Growth characteristics:
Russian olive is capable of nitrogen fixation and has been recommended for companion planting because of this characteristic. It is tolerant of a broad range of soil alkalinity, salinity, and moisture availability allowing it to invade a wide range of dry to wet microsites. Plants are capable of flowering and producing fruit after reaching only three years of age. The yellowish fragrant flowers appear in June and July and are later replaced by abundant silvery fruit. Bird species are probably the primary vector for dispersal although raccoons, skunks, and opossums also feed on the fruit. Some vegetative propagation has been reported. Once established, Russian olive is highly invasive and difficult to control. It is found in disturbed areas, successional fields, pastures, roadsides, riparian areas, and shelter belts where it has been extensively planted. It also has escaped into prairies, open woodlands, and forest edges.
Problems:
The fast growing persistent habit allows Russian olive to outcompete native plants, interfere with natural plant succession and nutrient cycling, and reduce water reserves in the soil. It is drought tolerant and its nitrogen fixing ability allows it to grow in a wide range of soils. Plants can resprout vigorously following cutting or burning.