# Russian olive (*Elaeagnus angustifolia*) The Russian olive is a bushy plant with silver-green leaves and small yellow flowers. It grows in many places and can be very helpful for wildlife, providing food and shelter. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 6 - **Habitat:** Urban areas ![Russian olive](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Elaeagnus_angustifolia_20050608_852.jpg&width=800) Photo: Georg Slickers, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Elaeagnus_angustifolia_20050608_852.jpg) ## Appearance The Russian olive is a small tree or shrub recognized by its distinctive silvery-green, lance-shaped leaves that often have a fuzzy texture. It produces small, fragrant yellow flowers and later bears small, round, silvery-red berries. Its bark is often reddish-brown and shredding. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Rosales - **Family:** Elaeagnaceae - **Genus:** Elaeagnus ## Interesting facts - It's not truly from Russia, but Central Asia and Europe! - Its shimmering silvery leaves look like tiny fish scales! - Its tough, flexible wood was once used to make bows and tools! - The plant can survive even when buried by sand for years! ## Special abilities - **Desert Dweller:** Russian olive can thrive in dry, harsh soils, thanks to its extensive root system that seeks out deep water. - **Salty Survivor:** It has special glands to excrete excess salt, allowing it to grow where many other plants cannot. - **Soil Helper:** Russian olive hosts tiny bacteria in its roots that enrich the soil by capturing nitrogen from the air. - **Thorny Guard:** Its branches are armed with sharp thorns that help protect its leaves and fruits from hungry animals. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 300-1200 cm - **Spread:** 300-1000 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late Spring - Early Summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [American Robin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-robin) (*Turdus migratorius*) — consumes its abundant, sweet fruits - **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — attracted to its fragrant yellow flowers - **Eats:** [Cedar Waxwing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cedar-waxwing) (*Bombycilla cedrorum*) — feeds on berries during migration and winter - **Eats:** [Mule Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — browses on its leaves and twigs ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Nitrogen Fixing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nitrogen-fixing): Describes organisms capable of converting atmospheric nitrogen into compounds usable by plants. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Broadleaf Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/broadleaf-tree): Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds. - [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. - [Invasive](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/invasive): Invasive species are non-native organisms that cause harm to the environment, economy, or human health. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Be careful not to touch the sharp thorns on the branches. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Russian olive? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Russian olive? 300-1200 cm ### How wide does Russian olive spread? 300-1000 cm ### How big are the flowers on Russian olive? 0.5-1 cm ### When does Russian olive bloom? Late Spring - Early Summer ### Is Russian olive edible? Yes ### Is Russian olive toxic? None ### What is Russian olive's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Colorado National Monument Visitor Center Complex](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/colorado-national-monument-visitor-center-complex) — Colorado, US · National Park - [Morrill County Courthouse](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/morrill-county-courthouse) — Nebraska, US · Historic Site - [Navajo Nation Zoological and Botanical Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/navajo-nation-zoological-and-botanical-park) — Arizona, US · Zoo - [E. Martin Hennings House and Studio Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/e-martin-hennings-house-and-studio-historic-district) — New Mexico, US · Historic District - [Fort Buford](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-buford) — North Dakota, US · Historic Site - [Taos Downtown Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/taos-downtown-historic-district) — New Mexico, US · Historic District [View all places to see Russian olive](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/russian-olive) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Russian olive: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/russian-olive)