Consider-the-Lilies Web Gallery
Found along roadsides and fence-lines throughout the Shenandoah Valley, this smaller tree stands out with its silver-gray leaves and bright red fruit.
Even after the fruit and leaves are gone, as in this image from an early foggy morning in November, the distinctive, spreading silhouette of Elaeagnus umbellata is easily identified.
Like several other alien species on display in the Gallery, the Autumn Olive was originally planted for erosion control. It can thrive in the poorest soils and even improves the soil where it grows through nitrogen-fixing root nodules. This attribute has been used to regenerate and control erosion in sterile mine spoil.
But the ability to grow anywhere has sometimes met with unintended consequences; other attributes, namely its method of seed propagation have made it the bane of farmers.
The massive crops of tiny olives borne by this species are devoured by birds and scattered across the countryside as seeds. Germinating at a high rate, they soon cover an entire landscape—including pastures!— with young trees.
(Besides Autumn Olive, other immigrant plants in the Gallery that are not appreciated, shall we say, especially among farmers, are the Bush Honeysuckle, Japanese Honeysuckle , and Rosa Multiflora.)
But there is much to recommend this immigrant to those of us not dealing with acres of pastures.
For, in April, beautiful gray-green leaves appear...
followed first by velvety buds...
which open to reveal these delicate sweet-scented blossoms, the scent of which can be detected an acre away!
In October the tree lives up to its name with masses of the tiny fruit.
Although I've never tried them, they are reputed by some to have a mild olive flavor eaten fresh off the tree and are prepared by some as a jelly.
We had more than fifty Autumn Olive growing on our property when we moved here ten years ago. In order to enjoy them—and they are a beautiful species—we have removed most of the mature trees. Each fall, to keep the population under control, I eliminate scores of seedlings from the remaining half-dozen we've kept.
I don't mind, because I have long since been convinced that the beauty of these trees throughout the season more than rewards us for this small investment of time and energy!
Go to the Main Directory to consider more lilies of the field.