Elaeagnus pungens
| Silverthorn (Elaeagnus pungens) | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific name | Elaeagnus pungens [1] |
| Common names | Silverthorn, Thorny Elaeagnus, Thorny Olive [2] |
| Genus | Elaeagnus [1] |
| Family | Elaeagnaceae [1] |
| Order | Rosales [1] |
| Habit | Rapidly growing, thorny evergreen shrub [2] |
| Flowering | Fragrant silvery-white flowers in fall [2] |
| Fruit | Reddish-brown, one-seeded drupes under 1 in; ripen in spring [2] |
| Hardiness context | USDA zones 7a–9b in the NC State account [2] |
Elaeagnus pungens, commonly called silverthorn, thorny Elaeagnus, or thorny olive, is a rapidly growing, thorny evergreen shrub. The accepted species belongs to the Elaeagnaceae; the Florida Plant Atlas records it as a non-native taxon in Florida.[1] Its native range is in East Asia, including China, Korea, and Japan.[2]
Description[edit | edit source]
The species forms a dense, multistemmed, freely branched shrub that can reach about 25 feet (7.6 m) in the Forest Service treatment.[3] The evergreen foliage and thorny branching make it useful as a screen, but the same vigorous growth calls for adequate space and deliberate pruning. Fragrant silvery-white flowers appear in fall, followed by small reddish-brown, one-seeded drupes.[2]
In the North Carolina account, the fruit is less than 1 inch across and ripens in spring, generally from late March through May.[2] That calendar is a regional observation rather than a universal date for every climate.
Cultivation[edit | edit source]
Soil and water[edit | edit source]
The species comes from East Asia and remains evergreen, while its documented cultivation range includes varied soils. Provide soil that drains reliably but does not become chronically dry: NC State lists moist, well-drained conditions and toleration of full sun through shade.[2] Avoid planting where dense, persistently wet soil leaves the root zone saturated. Adjust watering to drainage, rainfall, and establishment rather than to a fixed calendar.
The plant's rapid, dense growth and the Forest Service record of regeneration make siting important. In regions where silverthorn is invasive or weedy, including parts of the southeastern United States, check local restrictions and prevent fruiting branches or discarded plant material from spreading beyond the intended planting.[3]
Sun and humidity[edit | edit source]
Full sun through shade is documented, so exposure can be matched to the intended use and local heat. In dense plantings, prioritize drainage and air movement rather than treating humidity as a fixed requirement.[2]
Seasonal changes[edit | edit source]
The native East Asian origin does not translate into one universal cultivation calendar. In the North Carolina account, fragrant flowers develop in fall and fruit ripens the following spring, commonly from late March through May.[2] The Forest Service treatment notes that exceptionally cold winters can reduce or delay fruit production, so a cold event can change the expected spring crop even when the evergreen shrub survives.[3]
Propagation[edit | edit source]
Seed is listed as the recommended propagation strategy for the species.[2] The named selection Fruitlandii is separately listed with seed and stem cuttings as propagation options; that selection-specific listing should not be treated as a tested protocol for every E. pungens plant.[4]
A Bonsai Nut contributor describes successfully air-layering several landscape Elaeagnus plants and reports rapid growth and fragrant flowers, but also expresses uncertainty about the plants' provenance and species identity. This is useful as an individual bonsai-context observation, not as a species-wide success rate or recommended schedule.[5]
Flowering, fruiting, and harvest[edit | edit source]
Flowers are fragrant and silvery-white in fall. The small reddish-brown drupes are one-seeded and ripen in spring; the North Carolina account places ripening mainly from late March through May.[2] The Forest Service treatment records cold-related reduction or delay of fruit production after exceptionally cold winters.[3]
A Reddit grower who identified a plant as E. pungens reported that it had nearly tripled in size after planting the previous summer and asked about spring leaf loss. No location, propagation history, or independent identification is provided, so the report is only a contextual observation and does not establish a normal growth rate or seasonal leaf response.[6]
Fruit and uses[edit | edit source]
The fruit is a small, reddish-brown, one-seeded drupe and is described in the horticultural account as a spring-ripening feature of the shrub.[2] Fruit presence alone is not evidence of food safety. Mixed-species Elaeagnus foraging accounts do not establish edible use for E. pungens, so do not infer edibility from reports about other species.
Cultivars and selections[edit | edit source]
NC State lists Fruitlandii as a named selection attached to Elaeagnus pungens. The selection account describes a dense shrub about 8–15 feet tall, full sun to partial shade, adaptable moist well-drained soil, rapid growth, pruning of misplaced or broken branches, fragrant fall flowers, and brown-red fruit; it lists seed and stem cuttings as propagation options.[4] Those attributes may interest a grower seeking a documented selection with a smaller listed size range than the species-level Forest Service account, but they are not a comparative performance trial or a guarantee for every site.
The same selection account warns that the parent species and selection can be weedy or invasive. A grower should therefore weigh its dense growth and regional spread risk against any space or propagation advantage, and verify local restrictions before planting.[4]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ [3] Corey L. Gucker. 2011. Elaeagnus pungens. Fire Effects Information System, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service.
Image credits[edit | edit source]
- Elaeagnus pungens (thorny olive) in the United States — Alex Abair, CC BY 4.0; source observation iNaturalist photo 281881847; individual Wikimedia Commons file page.
