Elaeagnus angustifolia - Russian olive

Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia) is a deciduous shrub or small tree with silvery leaves and yellow flowers. It produces small, olive-like fruits that are edible but astringent. The plant is drought-tolerant and used for windbreaks and erosion control, though it is also considered invasive in some regions.

Outputs

• Poultry forage¹
• Bird nesting space²
• Winter fruits for birds²
• Wildlife habitat³
• Human food³

Functions

• Shrub
• Deciduous
• Nitrogen fixer⁴
• Drought-tolerance

Footnotes

1. Gaia’s Garden - A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture, 2nd Edition Appendix ↩

2. Gaia’s Garden - A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture, 2nd Edition Table 7-2 ↩ ↩²

3. Gaia’s Garden - A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture, 2nd Edition Table 10-1 ↩ ↩²

4. Gaia’s Garden - A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture, 2nd Edition Table 6-3 ↩