Fauna
Plant

Thorny Olive

Elaeagnus pungens

Also known as Silverthorn, Spiny Oleaster

Thorny olive is a dense, evergreen shrub renowned for its silvery foliage and aggressive climbing shoots that can ascend into forest canopies. Small, intensely fragrant, cream-colored flowers bloom in autumn tucked beneath the foliage, followed by silvery-speckled red drupes in spring that provide a critical food source for migrating birds. Through a symbiotic relationship with Frankia actinobacteria, it fixes its own nitrogen, allowing it to colonize depleted soils and rapidly displace native understory flora across its introduced range.

EvergreenFragrantNitrogen-Fixing
Thorny Olive reference
(c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman · cc-by-sa
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyAutotrophic (photosynthetic)
Predators
  • White-tailed Deer
  • Cedar Waxwing
  • Northern Mockingbird
ThreatsHerbicide treatments, mechanical removal, and prescribed fire management
HabitatsForest edges, roadsides, thickets, open woodlands, and urban landscapes
Life span30–50 years
Classification
  1. OrderRosales
  2. FamilyElaeagnaceae
  3. GenusElaeagnus
  4. SpeciesElaeagnus pungens
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Wild berries have toxic look-alikes; never eat based on app identification alone.
Responsible observation
  • Fragrance Detection: Follow sweet, gardenia-like scent wafting on cool autumn breezes to locate hidden blooms.
  • Identification Clue: Flip over leathery leaves to check for silvery undersides dotted with rusty brown scales.
  • Garden Caution: Plant native alternatives like inkberry or wax myrtle to prevent invasive spread into woodlands.
Related species
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