Elaeagnus angustifolia L.
Russian olive
Elaeagnaceae (Oleaster family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
Russian olive
Elaeagnaceae (Oleaster family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
Species Information
General:
Deciduous shrub or small tree; stems sometimes thorny, branched, young twigs silvery, to 7 m tall.
Leaves:
Alternate, linear to linear-lanceolate, 4-8 cm long, silvery on both surfaces but paler below, entire.
Flowers:
Inflorescence of 1 to few short-stalked flowers in axillary clusters; corollas dark yellow within, silvery outside, funnel-shaped, about 1 cm long, 4-lobed, aromatic; stamens 4.
Fruits:
Single achenes enclosed in silvery-scaly drupes or berries, 1-2 cm long, elliptic, yellow.
Illustration
If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.
Illustration Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia
USDA Species Characteristics
Flower Colour:
Yellow
Blooming Period:
Early Summer
Fruit/Seed characteristics:
Colour: Yellow
Present from Summer to Fall
Source: The USDA
Ecology
Ecological Framework for Elaeagnus angustifolia
The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)
The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)
| Site Information |
Value / Class |
||
|
Avg |
Min |
Max |
|
| Elevation
(metres) |
|||
| Slope
Gradient (%) |
1 | 1 | 1 |
|
Aspect (degrees) |
0 | ||
| Soil
Moisture Regime (SMR) [0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic; 8 - hydric] |
4 | 4 | 4 |
| Modal
Nutrient Regime
Class |
C | ||
| #
of field plots species was recorded in: |
1 | ||
| Modal
BEC Zone Class |
SBS | ||
|
All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in |
SBS(1) | ||
|
Source:
Klinkenberg 2013
|
|||
Habitat and Range
Moist to dry roadsides and waste places in the steppe zone; locally frequent in SC BC; introduced from Eurasia.Status Information
Synonyms
Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Elaeagnus angustifolia var. orientalis (L.) Kuntze