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: (2002). Elaeagnaceae. In: . 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.
