Elaeagnus umbellata: Difference between revisions
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*[http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/species/frame/elum.htm ''Elaeagnus umbellata'' images at bioimages.vanderbilt.edu] |
*[http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/species/frame/elum.htm ''Elaeagnus umbellata'' images at bioimages.vanderbilt.edu] |
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* [http://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/plants/autmnolive.shtml Species Profile- Autumn Olive (''Elaeagnus umbellata'')], National Invasive Species Information Center, [[United States National Agricultural Library]]. Lists general information and resources for Autumn Olive. |
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Revision as of 18:28, 15 February 2011
| Elaeagnus umbellata | |
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| Species: | E. umbellata
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| Elaeagnus umbellata | |
Elaeagnus umbellata, also referred to as Japanese Silverberry, Umbellate Oleaster or Autumn-olive, is a species of Elaeagnus native to eastern Asia from the Himalayas east to Japan. Because airborne nitrogen can be fixed in its roots, it has the capability to grow in infertile habitats.
It is a deciduous shrub or small tree growing to 4–10 m tall, with a dense, thorny crown. The leaves are alternate, 4–10 cm long and 2–4 cm wide, entire but with a waved margin. The leaves are silvery when they leaf out early in spring due to numerous tiny, scales, but turning greener above as the silvery scales wear off through the summer (unlike the related E. angustifolia, which remains silvery to leaf fall). The flowers are clustered 1-7 together in the leaf axils, fragrant, with a four-lobed pale yellowish-white 1 cm long corolla. The fruit is a round drupe 1/4 to 1/3 inches[1] long (0.65 to 0.85 cm), silvery-scaled yellow, ripening to red dotted with silver or brown.
When ripe, the fruit is juicy and edible, and works well as a dried fruit. It is small, extremely numerous, tart-tasting, and it has a chewable seed. It has been shown to have from 7 to 17 times the amount of the antioxidant lycopene that tomatoes have.[2]
Elaeagnus umbellata has naturalized in some parts of North America, and is considered an invasive species.[3][4]
Gallery
References
- ^ Dirr, M. 1998. Manual of woody landscape plants : their identification, ornamental characteristics, culture, propagation and uses. Stipes, Champaign, Ill.
- ^ Fordham, IM, Clevidence BA, Wiley ER et al. "Fruit of autumn olive; A rich source of lycopene" HortScience. Alexandria 36: 1136-1137, 2001
- ^ USDA invasive species identification sheet (pdf)
- ^ Species Profile - Autumn Olive, National Invasive Species Information Center, National Agricultural Library. Lists general information and resources for Elaeagnus umbellata.
External links
- Elaeagnus umbellata images at bioimages.vanderbilt.edu
- Species Profile- Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata), National Invasive Species Information Center, United States National Agricultural Library. Lists general information and resources for Autumn Olive.