Identifying characteristics:
The Russian olive is a fast-growing small tree with and open, rounded crown
from 12 to 25 feet tall which becomes increasingly scraggly as it reaches
maturity. The simple, alternate, deciduous leaves
are linear to oblong-lanceolate, dull green and dotted with minute, silvery-gray
scales above and beneath. Twigs are often thorny. Small, bell-shaped,
apetalous, fragrant flowers are
borne in leaf axils on the current year's growth. 4 spreading calyx lobes
surround 4 stamens and a single pistil. The calyx is bright yellow on the
inside and silvery-white on the outside. The drupelike fruit
is an elliptical achene with a fleshy perianth, ripening early autumn, and
persisting on the tree into winter. Ripe fruits are yellow, covered with
minute, silvery-gray scales. The flesh is sweet, and mealy in texture, enclosing
a hard pit. The Russian olive is not related to the olive of commerce. The
semicircular leaf scars are very small, with one bundle scar. Buds
are small and round with 4 visible silvery-gray scales. Bark
is light gray with vertical, shreddy strips, becoming furrowed with flattened
ridges.
Ecology:
Distribution: This species is native to Europe and Asia, is cultivated
in the US and has become naturalized locally. It is cultivated throughout
Iowa, often escaping to woods and waste areas.
Habitat: Growing in any soil, the Russian olive is found in a variety of habitats. It is tolerant of alkaline soils, salt spray, cold, drought and pollution. It prefers cool, dry climates and light, sandy loams and requires full sun. This plant harbors nitrogen-fixing organisms in nodules on the roots, helping to enrich the soil. Although it is relatively free of pests and diseases, it is susceptible to Verticillium wilt and canker, especially when stressed.
Uses:
Wood: Wood is used for posts, beams, musical instruments and
for firewood. Bark and foliage was once used for tanning leather.
Wildlife: Small mammals and birds relish the fruits that persist into winter. Hoofed browsers eat the twigs and foliage. Many species of birds nest among the dense twigs. The flesh of the fruit is used to make a sherbet in the Orient and a strong alcoholic beverage in the Soviet Union. In the Midwest, a similar species, the autmn olive or Chinese oleaster (E. umbellata), a tree with bright red fruits, is often included in wildlife plantings.
Horticulture: This hardy, adaptable tree is used as a shade tree or hedge plant in yards and parks for its gray-green foliage effect. In the Plains states, it is used extensively for windbreaks, shelterbelts, erosion control and wildlife plantings. These plants can be kept vigorous by pruning. The buffalo berry (Shepherdia argentia), a native of the Loess Hills in western Iowa, is a related species often planted across the state.
