Elaeagnus L.

Oleaster

Deciduous or evergreen shrubs, small trees or occasionally woody climbers, generally spiny. Leaves alternate, entire, covered, at least below, with scales or star-shaped hairs. Flowers unisexual or bisexual, solitary or in few-flowered clusters, tubular and generally with a constriction above the ovary. Sepals 4. Stamens 4. Nectar disk generally inconspicuous. Ovary with 1 ovule. Fruit ellipsoid or obovoid, the single, usually ribbed seed with a fleshy outer covering.

Grown for the unusual scaly leaves, sometimes as a hedge.

About 40 species from Eurasia, N Africa and Australia (1 species).

Seed, cuttings or grafting.

Fruits of E. multiflora are edible and used in preserves or sometimes in alcoholic drinks.

Silver- or gold-scaled leaves, at least below; flowers with 4 petal-like sepals.

Source: Spencer, R. (2002). Elaeagnaceae. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 3. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 2. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.

kingdom Plantae
phylum   Tracheophyta
class    Magnoliopsida
superorder     Rosanae
order      Rosales
family       Elaeagnaceae