Autumn Olive | Nebraska Invasive Species Council

Credit: T. Davis Sydnor, The Ohio State University, Bugwood.org

General Information

Species Name: Elaeagnus umbellata

Also Known As: Autumn elaegnus, oleaster, silverberry, spreading oleaster

Family: Elaeagnaceae (Oleaster)

Growth Form: Shrub

Life Span: Perennial

Flowering Dates: May-June

Origin: Asia

Toxic: No

Noxious: No

Watchlist: No

Why Is It Invasive?

Autumn olive is a problem because it outcompetes and displaces native plants. It does this by shading them out and by changing the chemistry of the soil around it, a process called allelopathy. Loss of native vegetation can have cascading effects throughout an ecosystem, and invasive species are one of the major drivers for a loss of biodiversity. Autumn olive’s nitrogen-fixing root nodules allow the plant to grow in even the most unfavorable soils. Once it takes root, it is a prolific seed producer, creating 200,000 seeds from a single plant each year. Through fruit, birds will spread these seeds far and wide throughout pastures, along roadsides and near fences. To make matters worse, attempts to remove the shrub by cutting and/or burning created even more autumn olive. This plant takes advantage of changing seasons, leafing out early before native plants and keeping its foliage deep into the fall. By getting a head start, autumn olive can easily shade out other species. Autumn olive can also use fire to its advantage. In both woodland and grassland areas, autumn olive can gain a foothold by sprouting faster than native plants after natural and human-managed fires.

What Does It Look Like?

General Characteristics

Autumn olive can grow 20 feet tall and 30 feet wide. It has thorny branches and is easily recognizable by the silvery, dotted underside of the leaves.

Flowers

Autumn olive’s bell-shaped flowers are a cream or pale yellow color and bloom in early spring. They occur in clusters of 5-10 near the stems.

Leaves

Leaves are alternate, 2-3 in. (5-8 cm) long and 1 in. (2.5 cm) wide. They are elliptically shaped, bright green to gray green above, and can be distinguished from other similar shrubs by the shimmery look of the silver scales found on its lower leaf surface.

Stems

Stems are multiple from the base or sometimes a single, central trunk with gray bark that is split and furrowed. A mature shrub is heavily branched with ascending branches and is about as broad as tall. New twigs are densely covered in silvery-white scales and scattered brown scales, becoming scaly brown the second year and eventually red-brown. Branches are sometimes thorny, the thorns as scaly as the twig.

Seeds and Fruit

It has red berries dotted with silver scales, which has led the plant to also be known as silverberry.

Photos

A closeup of an autumn olive stem with its bark bark and silvery dots

Credit: James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org

A closeup of the surface of autumn olive leaves on its reddish brown stems

Credit: Rebekah D. Wallace, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org

A closeup of an autumn olive branch with its trumpet-like yellow flower in bloom

Credit: James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org

A closeup of an autumn olive branch with its red berries

Credit: Emma Erler, University of New Hampshire, Bugwood.org

An individual showing the silvery white underside of an autumn olive leaf and the bright green leaftop

Credit: Rebekah D. Wallace, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org

An autumn olive tree with its flowers in bloom

Credit: Richard Gardner, Bugwood.org

An autumn olive branch with a thorn on it

Credit: T. Davis Sydnor, The Ohio State University, Bugwood.org

A closeup of an autumn olive branch with its yellow flowers in bloom

Credit: T. Davis Sydnor, The Ohio State University, Bugwood.org

A field infested with autumn olive trees. The autumn olive trees look silvery when compared to the grass

Credit: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org

Credit: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org

An autumn olive tree without foliage in winter

Credit: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org

Credit: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org

Where Does It Grow?

It invades old fields, woodland edges, and other disturbed areas. It is a nitrogen-fixing shrub/small tree that tolerates a wide variety of soils including poor unfavorable ones. It prefers consistently moist soil conditions, but is tolerant of drought.

How Does It Spread?

Introduced in 1830 as an ornamental plant that could provide habitat and food to wildlife, autumn olive was widely planted by the Soil Conservation Service as erosion control near roads and on ridges. Through fruit, birds will spread these seeds far and wide throughout pastures, along roadsides and near fences.

How Do I Control It?

Mechanical

Contact your county weed control authority to determine appropriate removal methods.

Cultural

Hand pulling autumn olive seedlings is an effective way to rid yourself of the plant. Attempting to remove autumn olive by cutting or burning from your property can cause unwanted spreading, as the shrub germinates easily. Control efforts before fruiting will prevent the spread of seeds. If the plant is too big to pull, herbicides will be necessary to eradicate the plant from the general area of invasion.

Herbicide

Please refer to the 2025 Guide for Weed, Disease and Insect Management in Nebraska and/or contact your county weed control authority.