Japanese Silverberry, Elaeagnus umbellata, also known as Autumn-Olive and Umbellate Oleaster, is a deciduous spiny shrub or small fruit bearing tree, growing to 10 meters tall but most commonly 4 meters. Japanese Silverberry is an indigenous to eastern Asia from the Himalayas east to Japan.

Elaeagnus umbellata leaves are alternate, varying in size, 4-10 cm long and 2-4 cm wide, entire but with an undulated margin. Leaves, due to many tiny scales, are silvery when they leaf out first in spring but later become greener above as the silvery scales wear off through the summertime.

The flowers are pale yellowish-white in color, bisexual, fragrant, 8-10mm in length and 7mm in diameter, born in bundles of up to 7 together in the leaf axils.

Japanese Silverberry Fruit

The fruit of the Japanese Silverberry is numerous, round to oval in shape, small, 1 cm long and 0.5cm in diameter, somewhat tart-tasting with chewable yellow seeds. Fruit color is silvery-scaled orange but maturing to red with silver or brown dots.

When mature, the fruit is juicy and edible and it makes a good dried fruit. It has been shown to have up to 17 times the quantity of the antioxidant lycopene that tomatoes have. Lycopene has been systematically shown to be valuable in decreasing the chance of prostate cancer.

Japanese Silverberry Propagation Methods

Tree propagation is by seed. The Japanese Silverberry is well known for its robustness under dry conditions and of growing in infertile habitats due to its ability to fix airborne nitrogen in its roots. It grows well on a variety of soils including somewhat clayey soils.

The plant needs full sun but mature trees tolerate light shade. Elaeagnus umbellata can become invading to grasslands and distracted areas in some parts of the world if allowed. It could be vigorous and competitive against some native species. Elaeagnus umbellate is a member of the family Elaeagnaceae the genus Elaeagnus.

Japanese Silverberry, Elaeagnus umbellata

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