20 May 2005 Page 1 of 2 

Plant Conservation Alliance®s Alien Plant Working Group 

Xeeds HoneXild: Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Areas 

http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/

FACT SHEET: RUSSIAN-OLIVE

Russian-Olive 

Elaeagnus angustifolia L. 

Oleaster family (Elaeagnaceae) 

NATIVE RANGE 

Southeastern Europe and Western Asia 

DESCRIPTION 

Russian-olive is a small, usually thorny shrub or small tree that can grow to 30 

feet in height. Its stems, buds, and leaves have a dense covering of silvery to 

rusty scales. Leaves are egg or lance-shaped, smooth margined, and alternate 

along the stem. At three years of age, plants begin to flower and fruit. Highly 

aromatic, creamy yellow flowers appear in June and July and are later 

replaced by clusters of abundant silvery fruits. 

ECOLOGICAL THREAT 

Russian-olive can outcompete native vegetation, interfere with natural plant 

succession and nutrient cycling, and tax water reserves. Because Russianolive is capable of fixing nitrogen in its roots, it can grow on bare, mineral 

substrates and dominate riparian vegetation where overstory cottonwoods 

have died. Although Russian-olive provides a plentiful source of edible fruits for 

birds, ecologists have found that bird species richness is actually higher in 

riparian areas dominated by native vegetation. 

DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES 

Russian-olive is found primarily in the central and western U.S., as well as in 

the East (e.g., Virginia to Pennsylvania), where it occurs with its exotic partner, 

autumn-olive (Elaeagnus umbellata). In the West, Russian-olive occurs mainly 

in the Great Basin Desert region at 800-2000 feet elevation and is also 

abundant in riparian zones of the Great Plains, for example, the Platte River in 

Nebraska. 

HABITAT IN THE UNITED STATES 

Russian-olive is found along streams, fields and open areas. Seedlings are 

tolerant of shade and it thrives in a variety of soil and moisture conditions, 

including bare mineral substrates. 

BACKGROUND 

First cultivated in Germany in 1736, Russian-olive was introduced into the U.S. 

in the late 1800s, and was planted as an ornamental, and subsequently 

escaped into the wild. Until recently, the U.S. Soil Conservation Service 

recommended Russian-olive for wildlife planting and windbreaks. 

BIOLOGY & SPREAD 

Establishment and reproduction of Russian-olive is by primarily by seed, 

although some vegetative propagation also occurs. The fruit of Russian-olive is 

a small cherry-like drupe that is readily eaten and disseminated by many species of birds. 

MANAGEMENT OPTIONS 

Mowing hedges with a brush type mower, followed by removal of cut material may be the most effective method for 

eradication. Herbivorous animals are not known to feed on it and few insects seem to utilize or bother it. Canker disease 

is occasionally a problem but not enough to be useful as a control agent. 
20 May 2005 Page 2 of 2 

Plant Conservation Alliance®s Alien Plant Working Group 

Xeeds HoneXild: Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Areas 

http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/

USE PESTICIDES WISELY: Always read the entire pesticide label carefully, follow all mixing and application instructions and wear all 

recommended personal protective gear and clothing. Contact your state department of agriculture for any additional pesticide use 

requirements, restrictions or recommendations. 

NOTICE: mention of pesticide products on this page does not constitute endorsement of any material.

CONTACTS 

For more information on the management of Russian-olive, please contact: 

 

• Keith Duncan, New Mexico State University; erbc at nmsu.edu 

• Jeff Lovich, USGS, Biological Research Division; jeffrey_lovich at nbs.gov 

• Jack DeLoach, USDA Agricultural Research Service; a021ctemple at attmail.com 

• Tom Egan, USDI, Bureau of Land Management; Tom_Egan at ca.blm.gov 

• U.S. Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division, Flagstaff, AZ 

http://www.nbs.na.edu/FNF/Vegetation/Exotics/Elaeagnus/elaeagnusangustifolia.html 

• Virginia Natural Heritage Program - Russian-olive and Autumn-olive http://www.state.va.us/~der/dnh/inveleag.htm 

SUGGESTED ALTERNATIVE PLANTS 

When restoring areas previously infested with Russian-olive, use shrub and tree species native to the particular region 

and ecosystem. Native plants provide the choicest shelter and food for wildlife. Contact a native plant society in your state 

or the California Exotic Pest Plant Council for suggestions on western native shrubs. A few examples of shrubs native to 

much of the eastern U.S. include spicebush (Lindera benzoin), witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), pawpaw (Asimina 

triloba), flowering dogwood (Cornus florida), Bursting-heart or strawberry-bush (Euonymus americanus) and arrowwood 

(Viburnum dentatum). 

OTHER LINKS 

• http://www.invasive.org/search/action.cfm?q=Elaeagnus%20angustifolia 

• http://nbii-nin.ciesin.columbia.edu/ipane/icat/browse.do?specieId=49

AUTHOR 

Rose-Marie Muzika, U.S. Forest Service, Morgantown, WV 

Jil M. Swearingen, National Park Service, Washington, DC 

PHOTOGRAPH 

John M. Randall, The Nature Conservancy, Davis, CA 

REFERENCES 

Knopf, F.L., and T.E. Olson. 1984. Naturalization of Russian-olive: implications for Rocky Mountain wildlife. Wildlife 

Society Bulletin 12:289-298. 

Shafroth, P.R., G.T. Aubla, and M.L. Scott. 1995. Germination and establishment of the native plains cottonwood 

(Populus deltoides Marshall subsp. moniifera) and the exotic Russian-olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia L.). 

Conservation Biology 9:1169-1175. 

Swearingen, J. 2009. WeedUS Database of Plants Invading Natural Areas in the United States: Russian-Olive (Elaeagnus 

angustifolia). http://www.invasive.org/weedus/subject.html?sub=3022. 

USDA, NRCS. 2009. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 

70874-4490 USA.