Edible Articles: Elaeagnus

Fields: Elaeagnus multiflora | Elaeagnus angustifolia | Canadian Hemlock & Russian Olive | Hedge - tips please -)
Keywords: Autumn Olive | Gumi

Elaeagnus multiflora

From: Michael Persiano (IASNOB@AOL.COM)
Subject: Re: Elaeagnus multiflora
Newsgroups: rec.arts.bonsai
Date: 2000/11/16

In a message dated 11/15/00 2:48:22 PM Eastern Standard Time, akwolik@HOTMAIL.COM writes:

<< Does anybody know if Elaeagnus multiflora can spend winter outdoor in zone 6? Is this species deciduous or evergreen in zone 6? >>

Agnieszka:

I have wintered Elaeagnus outdoors, only to find that the trees seemed to weaken substantially from the cold. While the books will tell you this species is hardy from zones 5 to 7, I would place the tree (as a bonsai) in a cold garage. Run a fan for air circulation.

As an outdoor shrub, Elaeagnus multiflora is deciduous. As a bonsai, it may retain its leaves--especially if it is protected frost.

Also, be certain to inspect the roots from time to time for nematodes. With this exception, I find Elaeagnus to be extremely disease resistant, and insects do not have much interests in their leaves.

It is a superb specimen for bonsai culture.

Cordially,

Michael Persiano members.aol.com/iasnob/index.html
*

From: ANITA L. HAWKINS (ahawkins@JHMI.EDU)
Subject: Re: Elaeagnus multiflora
Newsgroups: rec.arts.bonsai
Date: 2000/11/16

On Thu, 16 Nov 2000, Michael Persiano wrote:
> Also, be certain to inspect the roots from time to time for nematodes.

If you find nodules on the roots of your Elaeagnus, DO NOT cut them off! While nodules in other species can be caused by root nematodes, a hard-to-treat disease, in Elaeagnus, they are normal. They are natural. They are *good for the tree*!

The Elaeagnus (someday I'm going to type that right on the first try!) genus is unusual in being a woody shrub with symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria living in *nodules* on the root system. Better-known nitrogen-fixers are common food and forage plants like peas, beans, clover, and alfalfa. The only other woody N-fixer I knew was Alnus (alder), though I just discovered that Casuarina (also used sometimes for bonsai) is too. These bacteria provide the plant with its own built-in fertilizer, hence they are often used to reclaim degraded soils, or as "nurse crops" interplanted among more valuable tree seedlings. One of the reason why Elaeagnus grow so vigorously as bonsai...

Here's what Dr. Dwight Baker, School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, of Yale University, has to say:

"Root nodules are common and numerous on all species of Elaeagnus growing in moist soils. On semiarid sites, nodulation is limited in upper soil layers but nodules will likely form well below the soil surface where moisture is available on a continuous basis. Root nodules are formed by direct penetration of young roots by the actinomycete bacterium Frankia. Root hairs are not required for infection, a situation unlike most actinorhizal plants or many legume trees.

Root nodules are perennial and increase in size as the tree continues to grow. Young active nodules are snow-white in surface coloration, although older interior parts of nodules are light or dark brown and woody."

I rest my case :) Anita Havre de Grace, Maryland (USDA Zone 6/7)
*

From: Michael Persiano (IASNOB@AOL.COM)
Subject: Re: Elaeagnus multiflora
Newsgroups: rec.arts.bonsai
Date: 2000/11/18

In a message dated 11/16/00 8:55:06 PM Eastern Standard Time, ahawkins@JHMI.EDU writes:

<< If you find nodules on the roots of your Elaeagnus, DO NOT cut them off! While
nodules in other species can be caused by root nematodes, a hard-to-treat
disease, in Elaeagnus, they are normal. They are natural. They are *good for
the tree*! >>

Anita:

All that you write is fine, but it is not what I was addressing.

I can assure you that the nematodes that threatened one of my favored Elaeagnus' many years ago nearly destroyed the tree.

She also writes:

<<Root nodules are perennial and increase in size as the tree continues to grow. Young active nodules are snow-white in surface coloration, although older interior parts of nodules are light or dark brown and woody.">>

These galls were dark as the night, and every root extending outward from the galls had died. This is not a salubrious effect from nitrogen-fixing nodules.

Those of you growing Elaeagnus should be certain to periodically inspect roots for deleterious galls, especially if you notice that branches are dying back. );-) Chopped Sesame root is generally an excellent cure.

Cordially,

Michael Persiano members.aol.com/iasnob/index.html
*

From: Michael Persiano (IASNOB@AOL.COM)
Subject: Re: Elaeagnus multiflora
Newsgroups: rec.arts.bonsai
Date: 2000/11/19

In a message dated 11/18/00 6:02:02 PM Eastern Standard Time, bonsai169@webtv.net writes:

<< Michael says << Run a fan for air circulation >>
Simple but brilliant. I've been caring for my greenhouse for 25 yrs
without a fan - just depending upon opening and closing the louvers.
This year I installed a small rotating fan. What a diff it has made.
Aside from distributing the heat from the heat source more evenly, it
has cut down the bug population substantially. I used to be plagued
with white fly, mealy bugs, leaf canker and scale; but so far this year,
nothing. >>

Marty:

I have found that air circulation is key to successfully overwintering bonsai specimens. It certainly minimizes the application of fungicides and insecticides.

Cordially,

Michael Persiano members.aol.com/iasnob/index.html
*

Elaeagnus angustifolia

From: Roger Case (rcase@rt66.com)
Subject: Re: Elaeagnus angustifolia
Newsgroups: rec.arts.bonsai
Date: 1995/05/29

In article <950525220915_12529419@aol.com> Iris Cohen <IrisCohen@AOL.COM> writes:

snip

>As consolation, I went rummaging in a nearby roadside. I located a very
>dark-flowered colony of blue-eyed grass, and dug up the offspring of a
>disorganized shrub that looked as though it would make a good bonsai. The
>most notable feature is clusters of small, white, but heavenly scented
>flowers. The fragrance is clove, like the flowering currant, but with some
>cinnamon added. When I got it home, I keyed it out in my field guide as
>Elaeagnus angustifolia, the Russian-olive. Has anyone tried this as bonsai?
>There are other species of Elaeagnus mentioned in a couple of books.

Hello Iris,

here in New Mexico the Russian Olive is rampant and used entensively for landscaping -- it tends to get trashy though, dropping stuff all year like mulberries do, plus they are almost as bad as pyracantha as far as barbs. I wonder if you have eleaganus angustifolia or perhaps one of the other varieties -- my books indicate the the eleagnus umbellata is more likely to be found on the east coast than the angustifolia variety -- but in any event, I have tried several russian olives -- and have one that is about 5 tears old from seed that has a 3/4 inch tunk and is developing nicely. They tend to be leggy and the branches are not easily wired when young -- they tend to break in my experience. But the attractive greyish leaves and ttrunk which will get quite attracive reasonably soon keep me trying. My second tree was yanked from the yard with a 2" diameter 8 ft high size after a good rain -- these trees grow fast once started. I cut it back, with almost no roots and it is doing fine -- but again the branches tend to be straight and upright. If I were to try again, which I probasbly will, I think I will look for tree which has a 3/4" trunk and cut it back to nearly a stump and let it regrow branches --

We have rather hard water and they thrive in wet spots -- I notice in the books I have looked in that they live as far north as maine so they should easily be winter hardy in Syracuse. Good luck with yours.

Roger Case
*

Canadian Hemlock & Russian Olive

From: Jenn Ridley (jridley@newsguy.com)
Subject: Re: Canadian Hemlock & Russian Olive
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Date: 2000/07/18

"Linda, OH" <soybean44@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>I also purchased some Russian & Cardinal Autumn Olive. Does anyone have
>any words of wisdom reg. these?

Return them?

Seriously, according to my local nursery, Russian Olives are considered weeds...and they do spread like weeds....I had them all over a two acre lot that hadn't been taken care of for 15 years. Most of them are gone now, and the ones that aren't gone are far too big for me to grub out.

The MSU Extension webpage says that while they do make good hedges, they are highly susceptible to canker, and should not be used in landscape plantings. I don't think that they are at all attractive, and there are other plants that could be used instead. YMMV

jenn
--- Jenn Ridley USDA Zone 5, inland lower Michigan jenn.ridley@gt.org
*

From: Pam Sinclair (grdngal@aa.net)
Subject: Re: Canadian Hemlock & Russian Olive
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Date: 2000/07/18

"Linda, OH" wrote:

> I have just rec'd some Canadian Hemlock that I am hoping to use for a hedge.
> The planting instructions are not very complete for a novice. They do say
> to use a fertilizer, as the soil around homes tends to be poor for growing
> these. I have a bag of 5-10-10. Would this be suitable, or is there
> something I need specifically for an evergreen?
>
> I also purchased some Russian & Cardinal Autumn Olive. Does anyone have
> any words of wisdom reg. these?

I would not recommend using a fertilizer on newly planted trees and shrubs. Instead, amend the planting hole with some good compost or other organic material. You want the tree to become accustomed to and grow into the native soil, not make the soil in the planting hole so distinct and appealing that the tree roots do not reach out into the existing soil, so do not add too much - about 1/3 of the backfill soil only. Water the tree in well and next spring apply some slow release balanced fertilizer if you wish.

The weediness of Russian and Autumn olives (Elaeagnus species) will depend on the varieties you plant and your location. Here in the PNW, they are attractive landscape plants and make excellent hedge material. They are seldom plagued by disease or insect problems, so again I would say that location makes all the difference when selecting plants. They too, will benefit from the same planting process as the hemlocks.

Pam - gardengal PNW zone 8
*

From: Linda, OH (soybean44@yahoo.com)
Subject: Re: Canadian Hemlock & Russian Olive
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Date: 2000/07/18

Thanks for the advise and the diverse opinions. Now I'm really confused!
:-)

-- Thank you, Linda, OH
*

From: Allyn Weaks (allyn.6875@tardigrade.net)
Subject: Re: Canadian Hemlock & Russian Olive
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Date: 2000/07/25

In article <3974C5A6.B87CABD3@aa.net>, Pam Sinclair <grdngal@aa.net> wrote:

> The weediness of Russian and Autumn olives (Elaeagnus species) will
> depend on the varieties you plant and your location. Here in the
> PNW, they are attractive landscape plants and make excellent hedge
> material.

Unfortunately, they do so well here that they are high on the "Red Alert
- High Potential to Spread" list of the Pacific Northwest Exotic Pest Plant Council <http://www.wnps.org/eppclet.html>. Russian Olive could be the next scots broom.

> They are seldom plagued by disease or insect problems

This is one reason why they could be so dangerous here--there is nothnig to control their spread. In other parts of the US they've already caused a large amount of habitat loss. When I took the Empire Builder from Seattle to Chicago a couple of years ago, it was really depressing to see solid russian olive stands in many of the riparian areas across montana and even further east. There was very little of it ten years ago along the same route. Where it crowds out the native plants, it also crowds out the wildlife. It's better to not plant them in the first place than to cope with the damage 10 years from now after the djin is well out of the bottle.

Worse than simply spreading fast and crowing out our natives, it's a nitrogen fixer, so just like scots broom, a thug which is already on the noxious weed list and banned from sale in WA, it changes soil characteristics in a way that make it much more difficult to reestablish natives after they get removed.

-- Allyn Weaks allyn.6875@tardigrade.net Seattle WA USDA 7/8 Sunset 5 Pacific Northwest Wildlife Gardening: <http://www.tardigrade.org/natives/> Senders of bulk email to my account agree to pay me a $500 handling fee.
*

Hedge - tips please -)

From: Kira Dirlik (kira_dirlik@baa.mc.duke.edu)
Subject: Re: Hedge - tips please :-)
Newsgroups: triangle.gardens
Date: 1999/04/27

katie wrote:
>references to Elaeagnus.... elaeagnus is considered an invasive plant
>and not recommended for landscaping. I think there are several types of
> elaeagnus (I'm no expert) and I have one in my backyard that has an
> attractive shape and is just finishing up its very fragrant bloom, but
> apparently this type's seeds are spread easily by birds, and it's also
> considered invasive.

I have literally thousands of Elaeagnus Angostiflora on my land. The roots are deep and very hard to remove. If you just cut the canes, you trip over the stumps and shoots come back tenfold. Their one redeeming feature is this past two weeks where their fragrance fills the air where I live, but I'd rather just have a rose bush. The kind I have is decideous, has thorns, (fun, while you are jumping on it trying to break that root), and in full sun grows about 15' tall. They grow not only from seed, but if a cane falls over, new plants spring up all along it. It is a solid matt at my place where it has apparently been left to do its thing for about 60 years. I literally got lost in the forest of them when I first got my land (7 acres) and proved the "myth" that one does indeed come around full circle when lost in something you can't see through. In short: don't plant it. Kira
*

From: Kira Dirlik (kira_dirlik@baa.mc.duke.edu)
Subject: Re: Hedge - tips please :-)
Newsgroups: triangle.gardens
Date: 1999/04/27

> Kira Dirlik wrote: re: 7 acres of elaeagnus angostiflora.

Ryan wrote:
> Yech. So have you given up, or how are you battling the evil plants?
> Backhoe? :-)

Can't backhoe. The evil plants are the understory in heavy woods, on steep hills. They have to go one by one. It's great isometric exercise prying those buggers out! Great therapy when you feel in a mood to kick out a wall for whatever reasons. I leave patches of them in strategic places (privacy screens). I clear corridors in others (i.e. to see the pond below). They grow fairly slow, so you don't need to redig ones you've already dug for about two years, and then the new ones are small and easier. I just figure it is one of those lifetime projects, and clear a little bit farther down the hills each year.

This was a thread before, and people wanted them, but no one ever came and got any. 8:+) They still await. Kira

top of page