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'''''Elaeagnus angustifolia''''' ('''Russian silverberry''', '''oleaster''', or '''Russian-olive''') is a species of ''[[Elaeagnus]]'', native to western and central [[Asia]], from southern [[Russia]] and [[Kazakhstan]] to [[Turkey]] and [[Iran]]. It is now also widely established in [[North America]] as an [[introduced species]]. ''Elaeagnus angustifolia'' is a usually thorny [[shrub]] or small [[tree]] growing to 5–7 m in height. Its stems, buds, and leaves have a dense covering of silvery to rusty scales. The [[leaf|leaves]] are alternate, lanceolate, 4–9 cm long and 1-2.5 cm broad, with a smooth margin. The highly aromatic [[flower]]s, produced in clusters of 1-3, are 1 cm long with a four-lobed creamy yellow corolla; they appear in early summer and are followed by clusters of [[fruit]], a small cherry-like [[drupe]] 1-1.7 cm long, orange-red covered in silvery scales. The fruits are edible and sweet, though with a dryish, mealy texture. Its common name comes from its similarity in appearance to the [[olive]] ''(Olea europaea),'' in a different botanical [[family (biology)|family]], [[Oleaceae]]. The shrub can [[nitrogen fixation|fix nitrogen]] in its roots,<ref>[http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/tree/elaang/all.html Forest Service Fire Ecology]</ref> enabling it to grow on bare mineral substrates. The dried powder of the fruits are used mixed with milk in Iran for rheumatoid arthritis and joint pains. It is also one of the seven items which are used in [[Haft Sin]] or the seven 'S's which is a traditional table setting of [[Nowruz]], the traditional Persian spring celebration. ''Elaeagnus angustifolia'' was described as ''Zizyphus cappadocica'' by [[John Gerard]], was certainly grown by [[John Parkinson]] by 1633,<ref>Alice M. Coats, ''Garden Shrubs and Their Histories'' (1964) 1992, ''s.v.'' "Eleagnus".</ref> and was being grown in [[Germany]] in 1736. It is now widely grown across southern and central [[Europe]] as a drought-resistant [[ornamental plant]] for its scented flowers, edible fruit, attractive silver foliage, and black bark. The species was introduced into [[North America]] in the late 19th century, and subsequently escaped cultivation, because its fruits, which seldom ripen in [[England]],<ref>Parkinson noted that it rarely perfected its fruit (noted by Coats 1992).</ref> are relished by birds which disperse the [[seeds]]. Russian-olive is considered to be an [[invasive species]] in many places in the [[United States]] because it thrives on poor soil, has low seedling mortality rates, matures in a few years, and outcompetes wild native vegetation. It often invades riparian habitats where overstory [[Populus sect. Aegiros|cottonwood]]s have died. {{Inc| Elaeagnus angustifolia, Linn. (E. hortensis, Bieb.). Oleaster. Shrub or small tree, to 20 ft., sometimes spiny: lvs. lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, quite entire, light green above, 2-3 in. long: fls. short-pedicelled, 1-3, axillary, on the lower parts of the branches; perianth campanulate, tube about as long as limb, yellow within, fragrant; style at the base included by a tubular disk: fr. oval, yellow, coated with silvery scales. June. S. Eu. W. Asia to W. Himalayas. Var. orientals, Dipp. (E. orientalis, Linn. f. E. hortensis var. orientalis, Schlecht.). Often spineless: lvs. often oblong or oval, usually rounded at the base, clothed more with stellate hairs beneath than with scales, usually glabrous above at length: fr. rather large to 1 in. long.Var. spinosa, Schneid. (E. spinosa, Linn.). Spiny: lvs. linear-lanceolate or lanceolate, narrowed at the base, scaly above and densely scaly beneath: fr. smaller. }} ==Cultivation== {{edit-cult}}<!--- Type cultivation info below this line, then delete this entire line --> ===Propagation=== Establishment and reproduction of ''Elaeagnus angustifolia'' is primarily by seed, although some spread by vegetative propagation also occurs. The fruit is readily eaten and disseminated by many species of birds. The plants begin to flower and fruit from three years old. ===Pests and diseases=== {{edit-pests}}<!--- Type pest/disease info below this line, then delete this entire line --> ==Species== <!-- This section should be renamed Cultivars if it appears on a page for a species (rather than genus), or perhaps Varieties if there is a mix of cultivars, species, hybrids, etc --> ==Gallery== {{photo-sources}}<!-- remove this line if there are already 3 or more photos in the gallery --> <gallery> Image:Upload.png| photo 1 Image:Upload.png| photo 2 Image:Upload.png| photo 3 </gallery> ==References== *[[Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture]], by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963 <!--- xxxxx *Flora: The Gardener's Bible, by Sean Hogan. Global Book Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0881925381 --> <!--- xxxxx *American Horticultural Society: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, by Christopher Brickell, Judith D. Zuk. 1996. ISBN 0789419432 --> <!--- xxxxx *Sunset National Garden Book. Sunset Books, Inc., 1997. ISBN 0376038608 --> ==External links== *{{wplink}} __NOTOC__
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