Autumn Olive

Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata Thunb.)

This species can be found on the roadside of the field closer to the stream floodplain. It is another species commonly found in disturbed areas. It is highly invasive and used as an ornamental. It enjoys high light and sandy soils.

Key identifying factors:

- Deciduous shrub with many branches up to 10' tall and wide.

- Simple, alternate leaves of varying sizes with a green top and silvery bottom. They are easily recognizable in the wind with their beautiful shimmering silver leaves.

- Fragrant white flowers occurring in bunches up the entire branch of the plant

- Bring red fruits with speckled gold dots on the skin occur in the late summer through November.

This species supports a lot of wildlife. The cover of the shrub provides a home for small mammals as protection from predators and the elements. Pollinators enjoy the nectar of the flower, and the fruits are very popular with birds, as they are high in vitamins A, C, and antioxidants. Birds disperse the invasive seed and the shrub spreads over disturbed lands, choking out other native species.

I chose to include this plant on the walk as another fun edible. The fruit is sweet with a puckery finish. It is juicy with a large seed in the middle. This seed is fine to eat, but if you'd prefer to spit it out, bite down on the seed first to break it and ensure that it will not germinate. These fruits are very nutritious and another tasty trail treat! Bring home and enjoy in apple crisp, on salads, or cooked down into a sauce!