Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata)
Observation
The picture of this autumn olive was taken on 17 September 2011 while attending the Wildlife Conservation Festival at the John Heinz National Refuge Center in Philadelphia, PA. I observed this scrub while walking along the trail. The scrub was surrounded by other plant life but it appeared to be more hardy than the others. Its stood out among the others around it as its bark was strong and its branches full of leaves.
Questions
To which country is the autumn olive native? When was the autumn olive first cultivated in the United States? Why was the autumn olive originally planted?
Scientific Research
Edgin, B., Ebinger, JE., Control of Autumn Olive at Beall Woods Natural Preserve, Natural Areas Journal, Vol. 21, No. 4 (Oct., 2004), pp. 386.
The autumn olive, native to Japan, China and Korea was first cultivated in the United States around 1830.This scrub, now very common in the United States, is widely used to provide food and cover for other wildlife. The autumn olive is an invasive thorny shrub or small tree with silvery scales that cover its young stem, fruit, flowers and leaves.The leaves are a dull green and the flower, which typically blooms in May, is light yellow. The fruit of the scrub is deep red to pink and is often eaten by birds.
Further Information
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