States
North CarolinaTennesseeGeorgiaSouth CarolinaKentuckyAlabamaFloridaVirginia
Menu

Russian Olive

Elaeagnus angustifolia

Found in forests, pastures, disturbed areas. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

—
Not native

Not native to Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 82%

Height
12–30 feet
Spread
12–20 feet
Light
Full sun
Soil moisture
Usually moist
See native alternatives

Plant this instead

Choose your county to list local plants first.

  • American Plum
    Prunus americana

    Sun: Full sun, Partial shade. Soil: Somewhat dry to moist. Flowers: White.

    Similar growth form, height, spread

  • Fire Cherry
    Prunus pensylvanica

    Sun: Full sun. Soil: Somewhat dry to moist. Flowers: White.

    Similar growth form, height, evergreen or deciduous

  • Stiff Dogwood
    Swida foemina

    Sun: Full sun, Partial shade. Soil: Usually moist. Flowers: White.

    Similar growth form, height, spread

Refine these alternatives in the finder

Check a whole list of plants

At a glance

Life cycle
Woody perennial
Leaves
Deciduous
Bloom
May to July
Fruiting season
August to October

Recorded in 12 Virginia counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 2

Forests and woodlands

Forest or woodland where the source does not say how moist or dry.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

All habitats

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

12CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including VA

Genus host records with ranges including VA · Elaeagnus

  • Acharia stimuleaSaddleback Caterpillar Moth
  • Anavitrinella pampinariaCommon Gray, Cranberry Spanworm
  • Archips argyrospilaFruit-Tree Leafroller Moth
  • Automeris ioIo Moth
  • Hyalophora cecropiaCecropia Silkmoth, Cecropia Moth
  • Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
  • Orthosia hibisciSpeckled Green Fruitworm Moth, Speckled Green Quaker
  • Pseudothyatira cymatophoroidesTufted Thyatirid
  • Redectis vitreaWhite-Spotted Redactis
  • Scopula limboundataLarge Lace-Border
Show all 12
  • Sideridis roseaThe Rosewing
  • Xestia smithiiSmith's Dart
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
—BeesSoutheastern regional records
—Specialist beesPollen specialists
1BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Elaeagnus

  • Alectoris chukarChukar
Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Elaeagnaceae
Hardiness
Zones 2a–7b
Flower color
Yellow, gray/silver or white
Growth rate
Rapid
Growth habit
Single stem
Foliage color
White-gray
Fruit begins
August
Fruit ends
October

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope
Also known as

Oleaster

Conservation status

Virginia rankSNA
Global rankGNR
VA statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

Sources