Elaeagnus umbellata

Thunb.

Autumn-olive

GNRUnranked Found in 86 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
GNRUnrankedGlobal Rank
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.145344
Element CodePDELG01060
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderProteales
FamilyElaeagnaceae
GenusElaeagnus
Other Common Names
autumn olive (EN) Oléastre à ombelles (FR)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Taxonomic Comments
In North America, only var. parvifolia of the species Elaeagnus umbellata is established as an exotic outside cultivation (Kartesz, 1994 checklist).
Conservation Status
Review Date1994-03-22
Change Date1994-03-22
Edition Date1987-08-28
Edition AuthorsNancy Eckardt
Range Extent Comments
Elaeagnus umbellata is native to China, Korea and Japan and was introduced to the United States for cultivation in 1830 (Rehder 1940). It occurs from Maine to New Jersey and Pennsylvania (Fernald 1950) and west to Wisconsin, Illinois, and Missouri (Holtz 1981).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Elaeagnus umbellata grows well on a variety of soils including sandy, loamy, and somewhat clayey textures with a pH range of 4.8-6.5 (Holtz 1981). It apparently does not grow as well on very wet or dry sites (Allan and Steiner 1965), but Sharp (1977) described it as having excellent tolerance to drought. It does very well on infertile soils because its root nodules house nitrogen-fixing actinomycetes (Sternberg 1982). Mature trees tolerate light shade, but produce more fruits in full sun, and seedlings may be shade intolerant (Holtz 1981, Nestleroad et al. 1984).

Ecology

Elaeagnus umbellata is one of the earlier shrubs to break dormancy, putting out foliage in mid-March in southern Illinois and advancing north with the season about 100 miles per week (Sternberg 1982). It grows rapidly, producing fruits in 3-5 years. Anthesis occurs after first leaves are out from May to June. Flowers are fragrant and pollinated by a variety of insects (Holtz 1981). The drupes are silvery with brown scales when immature, ripening to a speckled red in September-October. Most fruits are eaten by birds or fall to the ground by early winter (Sternberg 1982). E. umbellata produces a large amount of seed, each tree producing 2-8 lbs. of seed per year and the number of seeds per lb. ranging from 20,000-54,000. The seeds are widely distributed by birds and have a high rate of germination (Holtz 1981). Cold stratification is required to break embryo dormancy (Holtz 1981). The effect of stratification by passing through a bird's digestive tract has apparently not been reported.
Other Nations (2)
CanadaNNA
ProvinceRankNative
New BrunswickSNANo
British ColumbiaSNANo
OntarioSNANo
Prince Edward IslandSNANo
Nova ScotiaSNANo
United StatesNNA
ProvinceRankNative
West VirginiaSNANo
OhioSNANo
MinnesotaSNANo
TennesseeSNANo
ConnecticutSNANo
VermontSNANo
MichiganSNANo
Rhode IslandSNANo
IowaSNANo
District of ColumbiaSNANo
HawaiiSNANo
LouisianaSNANo
IndianaSNANo
GeorgiaSNANo
New JerseySNANo
MissouriSNANo
AlabamaSNANo
South CarolinaSNANo
FloridaSNANo
KentuckySNANo
IllinoisSNANo
DelawareSNANo
VirginiaSNANo
New HampshireSNANo
MarylandSNANo
MaineSNANo
New YorkSNANo
North CarolinaSNANo
MassachusettsSNANo
ArkansasSNANo
PennsylvaniaSNANo
MississippiSNANo
Plant Characteristics
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (86)
Arkansas (2)
AreaForestAcres
Brush HeapOuachita National Forest4,205
Gee CreekOzark-St. Francis National Forest7,957
Georgia (6)
AreaForestAcres
Big MountainChattahoochee National Forest1,974
Boggs CreekChattahoochee National Forest2,073
Cedar MountainChattahoochee National Forest1,083
Kelly RidgeChattahoochee National Forest8,325
Miller CreekChattahoochee National Forest701
Rocky MountainChattahoochee National Forest4,269
Illinois (1)
AreaForestAcres
Burke BranchShawnee National Forest6,231
Kentucky (1)
AreaForestAcres
WolfpenDaniel Boone National Forest2,835
New Hampshire (3)
AreaForestAcres
Carr MountainWhite Mountain National Forest17,110
KilkennyWhite Mountain National Forest28,766
Sandwich RangeWhite Mountain National Forest16,797
North Carolina (13)
AreaForestAcres
Bald MountainPisgah National Forest11,085
Balsam ConePisgah National Forest10,591
BearwallowPisgah National Forest4,113
Harper CreekPisgah National Forest7,325
Jarrett CreekPisgah National Forest7,485
Laurel MountainPisgah National Forest5,683
Lost CovePisgah National Forest5,944
Mackey MountainPisgah National Forest5,934
Middle Prong AdditionPisgah National Forest1,852
Sam Knob (addition)Pisgah National Forest2,576
Slide HollowPisgah National Forest193
Tusquitee BaldNantahala National Forest13,670
Wilson CreekPisgah National Forest4,863
Pennsylvania (3)
AreaForestAcres
Allegheny FrontAllegheny National Forest7,430
Hearts ContentAllegheny National Forest221
Tracy RidgeAllegheny National Forest9,034
South Carolina (1)
AreaForestAcres
Big MountainSumter National Forest2,337
Tennessee (8)
AreaForestAcres
Bald MountainCherokee National Forest11,743
Beaver Dam CreekCherokee National Forest5,070
Flint Mill GapCherokee National Forest9,494
Rogers RidgeCherokee National Forest4,738
Slide HollowCherokee National Forest4,057
Stone MountainCherokee National Forest5,367
Sycamore CreekCherokee National Forest6,984
Upper Bald RiverCherokee National Forest9,202
Vermont (2)
AreaForestAcres
Bread LoafGreen Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,768
Griffith Lake 09084Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,833
Virginia (30)
AreaForestAcres
Adams PeakGeorge Washington National Forest7,135
Bear CreekJefferson National Forest18,274
Beartown Addition BJefferson National Forest2,985
Beaver Dam CreekJefferson National Forest1,135
Brush MountainJefferson National Forest6,002
Elliott KnobGeorge Washington National Forest9,380
Gum RunGeorge Washington National Forest12,620
Horse HeavenJefferson National Forest4,748
JerkemtightGeorge Washington National Forest16,687
Kelley MountainGeorge Washington National Forest7,590
Little AlleghanyGeorge Washington National Forest10,215
Little Dry Run AdditionJefferson National Forest2,204
Little RiverGeorge Washington National Forest27,292
Little Walker MountainJefferson National Forest9,818
Mountain Lake Addition AJefferson National Forest1,469
New London Bridge BranchJefferson National Forest844
North MountainJefferson National Forest8,377
Northern MassanuttenGeorge Washington National Forest9,444
Oak KnobGeorge Washington National Forest10,882
Oliver MountainGeorge Washington National Forest13,090
Patterson MountainJefferson National Forest4,865
Peters Mountain Addition A (VA)Jefferson National Forest1,268
Peters Mountain Addition BJefferson National Forest2,909
Price MountainJefferson National Forest9,119
Raccoon BranchJefferson National Forest4,388
Ramseys Draft AdditionGeorge Washington National Forest12,781
Seng MountainJefferson National Forest6,428
SkidmoreGeorge Washington National Forest5,641
Southern MassanuttenGeorge Washington National Forest11,985
Three RidgesGeorge Washington National Forest4,745
West Virginia (16)
AreaForestAcres
Canaan LoopMonongahela National Forest7,867
Cheat MountainMonongahela National Forest8,191
Cranberry AdditionMonongahela National Forest11,123
Cranberry Glades Botanical AreaMonongahela National Forest785
Dolly Sods Roaring PlainMonongahela National Forest13,392
Dry River (WV)George Washington National Forest7,331
Falls Of Hills CreekMonongahela National Forest6,925
Glady ForkMonongahela National Forest3,239
Little MountainMonongahela National Forest8,172
Marlin MountainMonongahela National Forest9,344
Mcgowan MountainMonongahela National Forest10,504
Middle MountainMonongahela National Forest19,020
Mottesheard (WV)Jefferson National Forest3,964
North Mountain HopevilleMonongahela National Forest6,525
Peters Mountain Addition A (WV)Jefferson National Forest343
Seneca CreekMonongahela National Forest22,287
References (12)
  1. Allan, P., and W. Steiner. 1965. Autumn olive for wildlife and other conservation uses. U.S.D.A. Leaflet 458. (From citation in Holtz 1981.)
  2. Fernald, M. L. 1950. Gray's manual of botany. 8th edition. Corrected printing (1970). D. Van Nostrand Company, New York. 1632 pp.
  3. Holtz, S. L. 1981. Elaeagnus umbellata. Literature review. Unpublished.
  4. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  5. Kuhns, L. J. 1986. Controlling autumn olive with herbicides. Proc. 40th Ann. Meet. N. E. Weed Sci. Soc. Pp. 289-294.
  6. Kurz, D. 1987. Missouri Department of Conservation. Telephone conversation with N. Eckardt, TNC, MRO. July 24.
  7. Nestleroad, J., U. D. Zimmerman, and J. E. Ebinger. 1984. Autumn olive reproduction in three Illinois state parks. Unpublished.
  8. Nyboer, R. 1987. Illinois Department of Conservation. Telephone conversation with N. Eckardt, TNC, MRO. July 24.
  9. Ohlenbusch, P., and P. Ritty. 1979. Russian olive control- A preliminary look. Proc. NCWCC V. 33: 132.
  10. Rehder, A. 1940. Manual of Cultivate Trees and Shrubs. 2nd. Ed. N. Y. MacMillan Publishing Co., Inc.
  11. Sharp, W. 1977. Conservation Plants for the Northeast. U.S.D.A. Soil Conservation Service Publication. (From citation in Holtz 1981, U81HOL01HQUS.)
  12. Sternberg, G. 1982. Autumn olive in Illinois conservation practice. Prelim. Report. Ill. Dept. of Conservation.