Elaeagnus angustifolia

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Legend for Species Pages

[edit] Russian Olive

• ANPC Rank –
• Moss, Flora of Alberta – An escape
• Global Invasive Species Database – Yes[1]
• NatureServe Rank – High
• Haber, Upland – No
• Haber, Wetland – No
• CWF, Status & Invasive Range – Potential, BC, AB, MB, southern ON
• Alberta Revegetation Guidelines – No
• The Nature Conservancy – Yes, w/ ESA
• CBCN – No
• AB Weed – No

[edit] Remarks

Introduced to North America from Eurasia in mid-1800's. Used for shelterbelts, ornamental plantings, and habitat "improvement". Propagates by seed and vegetatively. Carried by water, ice, birds, and other wildlife and naturalized remote from parent. Seed is viable up to 3 years. Seedlings compete for habitat with riverine Poplars (incl. Cottonwoods). Introduced at the Aageson Ranch MT, 10 km downstream from the Alberta border on the Milk River in 1950 and from there has spread both upstream into Alberta and downstream. Also on the Red Deer River, on the S. Saskatchewan River, on the Oldman River, and elsewhere in vicinity of Lethbridge and Medicine Hat. Prefers moist conditions, but naturalizes in very dry, saline, wet, and flooded conditions too. Has long, stiff thorns. Rarely utilized by beaver or browsers. Re-sprouts from herbicide-treated stumps. Aggressively invasive. Flowers and colour of foliage are very similar to Wolf Willow, but fruit, bark, habit of growth, and thorns easily set it apart. Also similar (from a distance) to Thorny Buffaloberry, which also has thorns and similar overall appearance, but very different flowers and fruit.

Sale and deliberate propagation of Russian olive has been banned in Montana. [2]

In flower, C.M.Pearce

Thorn

In fruit, C.M.Pearce

Naturalized Russian Olive along a stream margin, C.M.Pearce

Russian Olive naturalized on a dry hillside, C.M.Pearce

Russian Olive stump, about 5 years after cutting and treatment with herbicide, C.M.Pearce

Naturalized Russian Olive on the Red Deer River, C.M.Pearce

Naturalized Russian Olive near Medicine Hat, C.M.Pearce

Naturalized Russian Olive on the S. Saskatchewan River in Medicine Hat, C.M.Pearce

[edit] References

C.M. PEARCE and D.G. Smith. 2001. Plains cottonwood’s last stand: can it survive invasion of Russian olive onto the Milk River, Montana floodplain? Environmental Management 28(4):623-637.