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National Invasive Species Information Center
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Home / Terrestrial Invasives / Terrestrial Plants / Autumn Olive

Autumn Olive

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Autumn olive
Autumn olive, twigs/shoots with thorns and leaves in April - Photo by James H. Miller; USDA, Forest Service
Scientific Name: 
Elaeagnus umbellata Thunb. (ITIS)
Common Name: 
Autumn olive, Elaeagnus, Oleaster, Japanese silverberry
Native To: 
Asia (Munger 2003)
Date of U.S. Introduction: 
1830 (Munger 2003)
Means of Introduction: 
Introduced as an ornamental; cultivated for wildlife habitat and erosion control (Fordham et al. 2003)
Impact: 
Displaces native species (Munger 2003)

Distribution / Maps / Survey Status

Early Detection & Distribution Mapping System (EDDMapS) - Autumn Olive
University of Georgia. Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health.
Provides state, county, point and GIS data. Maps can be downloaded and shared.

Images

Google Images - Autumn Olive
Google.
Invasive.org - Autumn Olive
University of Georgia. Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health.

Videos

YouTube - How To Identify and Remove Autumn Olive

Google. YouTube; Herndon Environmental Network.

Selected Resources

The section below contains highly relevant resources for this species, organized by source. Or, to display all related content view all resources for Autumn Olive.

Council or Task Force
Fact Sheet: Autumn Olive (Jan 2014) (PDF | 740 KB)
Alberta Invasive Species Council (Canada).
See also: Fact Sheets for more information about individual invasive species, including those listed as "Prohibited Noxious" and "Noxious" under the Alberta Weed Control Act
Invasive Plants of Ohio: Fact Sheet 7 - Autumn-Olive and Russian-Olive (PDF | 213 KB)
Ohio Invasive Plants Council.
See also: Invasive Plants of Ohio for worst invasive plant species identified in Ohio's natural areas
Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Council Invasive Plant Manual - Autumn Olive
Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Council.
Partnership
Global Invasive Species Database - Elaeagnus umbellata (shrub, tree)
IUCN. Species Survival Commission. Invasive Species Specialist Group.
Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States - Autumn Olive
University of Georgia. Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health.
Invasive Species Compendium - Elaeagnus umbellata
CAB International.
Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER) - Elaeagnus umbellata
USDA. FS. Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry.
Texas Invasives Database - Elaeagnus umbellata
TexasInvasives.org.
Federal Government
Fire Effects Information System (FEIS) - Elaeagnus umbellata
USDA. FS. Rocky Mountain Research Station. Fire Sciences Laboratory.
PLANTS Database - Autumn Olive
USDA. NRCS. National Plant Data Center.
U.S. National Plant Germplasm System - Elaeagnus umbellata

USDA. ARS. National Genetic Resources Program. GRIN-Global.

State and Local Government
Invasive Species Best Control Practices - Autumn Olive (2012) (PDF | 386 KB)
Michigan Department of Natural Resource; Michigan State University Extension. Michigan Natural Features Inventory.
See also: Best Control Practice Guides for more guides
Invasive Plant Species Fact Sheet: Autumn Olive (2006) (PDF | 659 KB)

Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Invasive Plant Species Assessment Working Group.

See also: Species Assessments and Invasive Species for exotic animal and plant pests invading Indiana, causing economic and visual damage

Field Guide: Invasive - Autumn Olive

Missouri Department of Conservation.

See also: Invasive and Problem Plant Control (scroll to Invasive Plants section) for more information to help you identify and control most common invasive plants in Missouri

Invasive Plants in Pennsylvania: Russian Olive and Autumn Olive (PDF | 223 KB)

Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

See also: Invasive Plant Fact Sheets for plant species (trees, shrubs, vines, herbs and aquatic plants) that have impacted the state's natural lands

Academic
Invasive Plant Fact Sheet - Autumn Olive and Russian Olive (Nov 2011) (PDF | 164 KB)
University of Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Flora Project of Morris Arboretum.
See also: Invasive Plant Fact Sheets for additional invasive plants in Pennsylvania
Controlling Non-Native Invasive Plants in Ohio's Forests: Autumn Olive (Eleagnus umbellata) and Russian Olive (Eleagnus angustifolia) (Feb 2012)
Ohio State University. Extension.
Insects, Pests, and Diseases: Autumn Olive

Pennsylvania State University. Cooperative Extension.

Invasive, Exotic Plants of the Southeast - Autumn Olive
North Carolina State University. Cooperative Extension. Going Native: Urban Landscaping for Wildlife with Native Plants.
Maine Invasive Plants Bulletin: Autumn Olive / Russian Olive
University of Maine. Cooperative Extension.
See also: Maine Invasive Plants & Entire Series for entire series of 22 fact sheets and invasive plants brochure (available in HTML/PDF or for purchase)

Citations

  • Fordham, I.M, R.H. Zimmerman, B.L. Black, B.M. Clevidence, and E.R. Wiley. 2003. Autumn olive: a potential alternative crop In: J. Maas (Ed.), XXVI International Horticultural Congress: Berry Crop Breeding, Production and Utilization for a New Century (Acta Horticulturae No. 626, pp. 429-431). Leuven, Belgium: International Society for Horticultural Science.
  • Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Elaeagnus umbellata. [Accessed Sep 10, 2014].
  • Munger, G.T. 2003. Elaeagnus umbellata. In: Fire Effects Information System. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory.