Other names: none
Abundance: common
What: berries, seeds
How: raw, jam, jelly
When: early spring
Where: landscaping shrub
Nutritional Value: Vitamins A, Bs, C, E, lycopene, flavonoids, fatty acids, and protein
Dangers:
On this page: Identification · Range & Ecosystem · Uses · Dangers · Harvest Time · Possible Mimics
 |
| Small elaeagnus shrub. |
Standing in the front yard of many Texas houses, elaeagnus bushes are a staple of suburban home landscaping. Their thick, evergreen foliage and tolerance of many growing conditions coupled with their low cost makes them attractive. In the fall their small but plentiful white/yellow flowers entice bees. In late winter/early spring the small, football-shaped berries are ready to eat. The tops of elaeagnus leaves are green with gray spots while the bottom of the leaf is gray with copper-colored spots. Ripe berries are silvery with many tiny red dots. These berries are hidden towards the center of the bush rather than exposed and visible so you may not notice them unless you lift the branches to look.
Identification
Identification Features
- Leaf Arrangement: The leaves are arranged alternately along the stems.
- Leaf Shape: The leaves are elliptical to ovate, with a length of 2 to 3 inches and a width of 1 to 1.5 inches.
- Leaf Venation: The venation is pinnate.
- Leaf Margin: The leaf margin is entire, presenting a smooth edge.
- Leaf Color: The upper surface of the leaves is typically dark green with white/silver dots, while the underside is silver-gray with bronze dots.
- Flower Structure: The flowers are small, tubular, and inconspicuous, clustered in the leaf axils.
- Flower Color: The flowers are often silvery-white to yellowish.
- Fruit: The fruit is a small, oval drupe, about 0.5 inches in length and a red-gold, spotted coloration.
- Seed: Each drupe contains a single, football-shaped seed.
- Stem: The stems are brown, woody, and may have silvery spots/scales.
- Hairs: The plant is covered with silvery scales, giving it a distinctive silvery appearance and usually lacks noticeable hairs. Leaves may have a slight texture to their surfaces.
- Height: Silverleaf Elaeagnus is a shrub that can reach a height of 10 to 15 feet, but the height can vary based on environmental conditions.
 |
| One wonderfully-scented elaeagnus flower appears at the base of each leaf around Thanksgiving in the Houston area. |
 |
| Elaeagnus berries are ripe in mid-to-late February. |
 |
 |
| Close-up of elaeagnus's mottled-red berries. |
 |
| Top of elaeagnus leaf. |
 |
| Bottom of elaeagnus leaf. |
Range & Ecosystem
Range
Ecosystem
landscaping shrub
Uses
Food
What: berries, seeds
How: raw, jam, jelly
Nutritional Value: Vitamins A, Bs, C, E, lycopene, flavonoids, fatty acids, and protein
The berries have a wonderful sweet/tart taste with a hint of astringency. Most people consider elaeagnus multiflora to have the best flavor. They are nutritional powerhouses loaded with a number of good compounds including a high concentration of lycopene. The seeds contain omega-3 fatty acids but they can be bitter in flavor and so unpalatable.
The flesh of the berries makes a good jam, jelly, and fruit leather. There's no reason they couldn't be made into wine.
Medicine
Harvesting Tips
Dangers
Harvest Time
When: early spring
Possible Mimics
Learn this plant in person: Upcoming classes
