KENPEI · CC BY-SA 3.0
Autumn olive
Shrub·Elaeagnus umbellata
Full sun
Sun
Low
Water
Moist soil
Drainage
Zones 3–8
Hardiness
Autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata) is a shrub. It grows best in full sun and has low water needs. It grows well with heartnut.
Through the year
DormantLeafing outFloweringFruitingDying back
Works well with
from wiki dataWHAT IT NEEDS
Wants full sun
Needs little water
Tolerates moist soil, as long as it drains well
Prefers soil pH 4.5–7.5
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Prefers sandy, loamy, clay soil
Tolerates compacted soil well
Fixes nitrogen in the soil
Draws up calcium, magnesium from deep in the soil
Adds a lot of organic matter to the soil
Partners with mycorrhizal fungi to boost nutrient uptake
WHAT IT GIVES
Gives mulch biomass (high)
Gives shade (moderate)
Provides nitrogen
Provides calcium
Provides magnesium
Attracts pollinators
Attracts birds
HOW IT GROWS
SIZE & SPACING
Shrub layer
Height300–600 cm
Spacing400 cm (min 300 cm)
Root depthMedium
Width300–600 cm
Width figures are rough estimates, the most variable measurement in our data.
AI estimate · accuracy improves as growers contribute corrections.
HOW TO PROPAGATE
Propagate by seed, cuttings
Difficulty
Establishes in about 1 yr
Self-seeds freely and can spread on its own
Where this comes from
Parsed11 Sept 2026
ConfidenceNot recorded
Photograph KENPEI · CC BY-SA 3.0