The plant is a heat and drought resistant, evergreen shrub that is fast growing. Because elaeagnus forms a dense, tall hedgerow, it provides an effective divider between opposing lanes of traffic. No statistics are currently available that summarize the distribution and abundance of the plant along roadways. An estimated 6-8 miles of plantings occur within coastal Virginia alone. Thorny elaeagnus produces a large fleshy fruit with a high sugar content.
Individual plants are capable of producing tremendous fruit crops.
When planted in mass, these shrubs can produce an extraordinary patch of fruit. Unlike most native shrubs, elaeagnus flowers in late fall and bears fruit in mid spring. In many years, fruit ripens in April during a time when many bird species are staging for spring migration. Because most other fruit-producing plants do not fruit at this time, elaeagnus is very attractive to migrant frugivores. Long patches of elaeagnus are often planted in the medians of major roadways.