Elaeagnus-russian olive Flashcards
Elaeagnus
Russian Olive
Notes about genus
well suited to fry and mildly saline conditions
characteristic silvery foliage
leaf colour is due to silvery scales that cover the leaves
often used in farm yards
Elaeagnus angustifolia
Russian oliveR
Russian olive
very hardy (popular)
can be single trunked; most commonly multi-trunked
don’t want to plant near roadways or sidewalks
Russian olive- leaves
simple; alternate
oblong-lanceolate to linear-lanceolate
acute/obtuse leaf tips; acute/ obtuse at base
margin- entire good identifier
silvery; glistening silvery hairy scales both above and below
silver autumn coliuration
short silver petioles 8-13 mm
circular structure
top of leaf darker green; bottom of leaf intensely silver
leaves retained into winter
Russian olive- bud
multiple stems per node is common (unique)
alternate buds
Russian olive- flower
3 flowers and 1 leaf arising from multiple buds
can be single or clusters of 2/3
flowers perfect
mostly borne singly but up to three flowers per cluster
small but abundant
Russian olive- bud
multiple buds on older stems
flowers buds and leaf buds arise from node
often 4 buds/node
buds at node
Russian olive- branches
new growth intensely silver
covered in silvery scales
younger wood coppery brown and smoothR
Russian olive- fruit
very different from salix
drupe
ellipsoid shape
yellow/green coated with silvery scales giving it a silver colour
matures in september
looks like an olive but is not edible
can be abundant, hence why it can be a bit invasive
1 cm long, pulpy, large brown striated oblong seed inside dry fleshy fruit
Russian olive- other characteristics
young tree; leaves appear to droop
dieback of one side of tree is common; replaced by new growth
like laurel leaf willow
Silverberry
native
often large stipules
alternate buds
yellow sepals (no petals)
perfect incomplete flowers
newbark-reddish brwon
no thorns
thicket forming
needs more water than russian olive
similar to silver buffaloberry
