Species Profile: Autumn olive
July 26th, 2011 at 8:05
I was a little apprehensive about trying autumn olive because of my distaste for tapenades and olives in general. However, I discovered that it actually has a flavor akin to currants, cranberries, and peaches; which means I can file the autumn olive (or Japanese silverberry) as a delicious fruit in my book.
Autumn olive fruit. Photo credit: Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources – Forestry Archive
The Autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata Thunb.), also known as the Japanese silverberry, was introduced into the United States as an ornamental shrub around 1830 from East Asia for its reddish and silver speckled berries. A quick and weedy grower in poor quality soil, it was also used for erosion control. Unfortunately, these traits (high fecundity, rapid growth, tolerance of poor quality soil) make autumn olive a dangerous competitor for native species that are also accustomed to nitrogen poor environments which previously had few competitors.
The shrubs can be identified by their oval to lanceolate leaves, small light yellow flowers, and small round reddish to pink fruits with silver specks. These hardy plants are tolerant to salt, drought, and a soil pH as low as 4.0. They thrive in disturbed habitats, but not in wet habitats or in dense forests. Autumn olive can be found in most of the eastern United States as well as some of the western states. They can be removed mechanically as seedlings or chemically, although care must be taken not to kill non-target species.
Autumn olive distribution in the United States. Image credit: EDD Maps
***For recipes featuring the tasty fruit of this invasive plant, check out our autumn olive jam!***
Tags: autumn olive
August 7th, 2011 at 9:20 am
I love your idea of using invasives to help us get rid of them. This seems much better than simply spraying them with pesticides. Can’t wait to see what you suggest for English Ivy!
December 3rd, 2011 at 12:40 pm
[...] love stories about goats eating invasive species- this time, they’re eating autumn olive in Waynesboro, [...]
September 25th, 2012 at 8:40 am
[...] window of a morning. Last year it wasn’t like this, September and October -prime season for autumn olives- tipped-toed by with a summer that lingered too long. Thanksgiving was about the first time we [...]
September 27th, 2012 at 8:34 am
[...] 3 cups fresh autumn olives [...]
April 12th, 2013 at 9:57 pm
Count me in!! I can’t wait for our Autumn Olive to fruit. Looks like a wonderful use.
April 13th, 2013 at 11:32 am
[...] Berry Inspired, a start-up marketing products made from invasive autumn olives, earned a new home in [...]
April 29th, 2013 at 8:38 am
[...] recipe was contributed by Rachel Hesselink Gentile, Notre Dame graduate student and autumn olive jam [...]