Russian Olive
|
|
| Russian Olive | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||||||||||||
| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||||
|
Russian olive is a small, usually thorny shrub or small tree that can grow to 30 feet in height. Its stems, buds, and leaves have a dense covering of silvery to rusty scales. Leaves are egg or lance-shaped, smooth margined, and alternate along the stem. At three years of age, plants begin to flower and fruit. Highly aromatic, creamy yellow flowers appear in June and July and are later replaced by clusters of abundant silvery fruits.
Establishment and reproduction of Russian olive is by primarily by seed, although some vegetative propagation also occurs. The fruit of Russian-olive is a small cherry-like drupe that is readily eaten and disseminated by many species of birds.
First cultivated in Germany in 1736, Russian olive was introduced into the U.S. in the late 1800s, and was planted as an ornamental, and subsequently escaped into the wild. Until recently, the United States Soil Conservation Service recommended Russian olive for wildlife planting and windbreaks.
Native to southeastern Europe and western Asia, in North America, Russian olive can outcompete native vegetation, interfere with natural plant succession and nutrient cycling, and tax water reserves. Because Russian olive is capable of fixing nitrogen in its roots, it can grow on bare, mineral substrates and dominate riparian vegetation where overstory cottonwoods have died. Although Russian-olive provides a plentiful source of edible fruits for birds, ecologists have found that bird species richness is actually higher in riparian areas dominated by native vegetation.
External link
- USDA invasive species profile (http://www.invasivespecies.gov/profiles/russolive.shtml)