OF THE CAROLINAS & GEORGIA

Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Rosids: Fabids: Rosales

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Elaeagnus pungens   FAMILY Elaeagnaceae   Go to FSUS key



SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Elaeagnus pungens   FAMILY Elaeagnaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 10 (2021)

Elaeagnus pungens

SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)

Elaeagnus pungens

SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)

Elaeagnus pungens

SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 134-01-001:

Elaeagnus pungens   FAMILY Elaeagnaceae

 

COMMON NAME:
Thorny Olive, Autumn Siverberry, Silverthorn, Thorny Elaeagnus


         To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.

image of Elaeagnus pungens, Thorny Olive, Autumn Siverberry, Silverthorn, Thorny Elaeagnus

JK Marlow    jkm190102_6259

January    Greenville County    SC

image of Elaeagnus pungens, Thorny Olive, Autumn Siverberry, Silverthorn, Thorny Elaeagnus

JK Marlow    jkm190102_6261

January    Greenville County    SC

image of Elaeagnus pungens, Thorny Olive, Autumn Siverberry, Silverthorn, Thorny Elaeagnus

Keith Bradley    kab_e_pungens_0537

February    Lexington County    SC

Three Rivers Greenway

Fruit terminated with conspicuous, persistent, prolonged calyx tube, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).


click here to see other plants that look similar to this COMPARE fruit of Elaeagnus species

image of Elaeagnus pungens, Thorny Olive, Autumn Siverberry, Silverthorn, Thorny Elaeagnus

JK Marlow    jkm160307_082

March    Greenville County    SC

Furman University

A sprawling, sometimes vinelike shrub [here climbing over 30' in height], per Woody Plants of the Southeastern US: A Winter Guide (Lance, 2004).

image of Elaeagnus pungens, Thorny Olive, Autumn Siverberry, Silverthorn, Thorny Elaeagnus

JK Marlow    jkm160307_084

March    Greenville County    SC

Furman University

Elongate, arching branches covered with brownish, peltate scales, per Woody Plants of the Southeastern US: A Winter Guide (Lance, 2004).

image of Elaeagnus pungens, Thorny Olive, Autumn Siverberry, Silverthorn, Thorny Elaeagnus

JK Marlow    jkm160307_085

March    Greenville County    SC

Furman University

Leaves evergreen, glossy above, per Woody Plants of the Southeastern US: A Winter Guide (Lance, 2004).

image of Elaeagnus pungens, Thorny Olive, Autumn Siverberry, Silverthorn, Thorny Elaeagnus

JK Marlow    jkm160307_086

March    Greenville County    SC

Furman University

Lower surface: peltate silver scales interspersed with russet scales, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).

image of Elaeagnus pungens, Thorny Olive, Autumn Siverberry, Silverthorn, Thorny Elaeagnus

JK Marlow    jkm170307_133

March    Greenville County    SC

image of Elaeagnus pungens, Thorny Olive, Autumn Siverberry, Silverthorn, Thorny Elaeagnus

JK Marlow    jkm200319_3255

March    Greenville County    SC

image of Elaeagnus pungens, Thorny Olive, Autumn Siverberry, Silverthorn, Thorny Elaeagnus

JK Marlow    jkm120428_866

April    Oconee County    SC

Clemson Forest

image of Elaeagnus pungens, Thorny Olive, Autumn Siverberry, Silverthorn, Thorny Elaeagnus

Roxanna Martin    rlm4111_170

April    Spartanburg County    SC

Fruit ellipsoid, 10-15mm, covered with lobed, chartaceous, peltate scales, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).

image of Elaeagnus pungens, Thorny Olive, Autumn Siverberry, Silverthorn, Thorny Elaeagnus

JK Marlow    jkm140625_342

June    Greenville County    SC

Cleveland Park

image of Elaeagnus pungens, Thorny Olive, Autumn Siverberry, Silverthorn, Thorny Elaeagnus

JK Marlow    jkm180905_4568

September    Greenville County    SC

image of Elaeagnus pungens, Thorny Olive, Autumn Siverberry, Silverthorn, Thorny Elaeagnus

JK Marlow    jkm180920_4843

September    Greenville County    SC

This leaf is occupied by a Harvestman, also known as Daddy-longlegs.

image of Elaeagnus pungens, Thorny Olive, Autumn Siverberry, Silverthorn, Thorny Elaeagnus

Paul Thompson    pstelaeagnus_pungens

September?        

Leaf undersides are silver with brown scales scattered on blade and midrib. — Clemson Extension

image of Elaeagnus pungens, Thorny Olive, Autumn Siverberry, Silverthorn, Thorny Elaeagnus

JK Marlow    jkm211016_4332

October    Greenville County    SC

Flowers tubular, 4-lobed, silvery-white to brown, in axillary clusters, per A Field Guide for the Identification of Invasive Plants in Southern Forests (Miller, Chambliss, & Lowenstein, 2010).

image of Elaeagnus pungens, Thorny Olive, Autumn Siverberry, Silverthorn, Thorny Elaeagnus

JK Marlow    jkm211016_4338

October    Greenville County    SC

image of Elaeagnus pungens, Thorny Olive, Autumn Siverberry, Silverthorn, Thorny Elaeagnus

JK Marlow    jkm231017_6101

October    Greenville County    SC

Flowering in the fall, per Weakley's Flora.

image of Elaeagnus pungens, Thorny Olive, Autumn Siverberry, Silverthorn, Thorny Elaeagnus

Keith Bradley    kab_e_pungens_3106

October    Richland County    SC

Guignard Park

image of Elaeagnus pungens, Thorny Olive, Autumn Siverberry, Silverthorn, Thorny Elaeagnus

Roxanna Martin    rlm102510_49

October    Spartanburg County    SC

image of Elaeagnus pungens, Thorny Olive, Autumn Siverberry, Silverthorn, Thorny Elaeagnus

JK Marlow    jkm181102_5486

November    Greenville County    SC

image of Elaeagnus pungens, Thorny Olive, Autumn Siverberry, Silverthorn, Thorny Elaeagnus

JK Marlow    jkm181102_5487

November    Greenville County    SC

image of Elaeagnus pungens, Thorny Olive, Autumn Siverberry, Silverthorn, Thorny Elaeagnus

JK Marlow    s071108_c

November    Pickens County    SC

SC Botanical Garden

Leaves dark or brownish green above, silver w scattered brown scales below, per A Field Guide for the Identification of Invasive Plants in Southern Forests (Miller, Chambliss, & Lowenstein, 2010).

image of Elaeagnus pungens, Thorny Olive, Autumn Siverberry, Silverthorn, Thorny Elaeagnus

JK Marlow    s071108_d

November    Pickens County    SC

SC Botanical Garden

Leaf margins undulate, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).

image of Elaeagnus pungens, Thorny Olive, Autumn Siverberry, Silverthorn, Thorny Elaeagnus

JK Marlow    jkm151230_075

December    Greenville County    SC

Swamp Rabbit Trail

 

 

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Elaeagnus pungens   FAMILY Elaeagnaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Elaeagnus pungens   FAMILY Elaeagnaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 10
Elaeagnus pungens

SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Elaeagnus pungens

SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)
Elaeagnus pungens

SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 134-01-001:
Elaeagnus pungens   FAMILY Elaeagnaceae

 

Find by SCIENTIFIC NAME:

505

Vine-like shrub
Perennial

Habitat: forests and woodlands in suburban areas, spread by birds, per Weakley's Flora

Non-native: Japan

Uncommon (rare in NC Mountains)

map
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.

Click here to see a map showing all occurrences known to SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria. (Zoom in to see more detail.)


INVASIVE

This plant is causing problems in natural areas outside its native range, according to authorities such as:

 

IS THE PLANT "ARMED"?
Armed with spinose spur shoots

LEAVES:
Evergreen
Simple
Alternate

FLOWER:
Fall
Silvery-white/Brown
Radially symmetrical
4-merous
4-lobed salverform calyx
Petals absent
4 inserted stamens
Superior ovary (hypanthium fleshy & persistent, thus ovary appearing inferior)
Bisexual

FRUIT:
Spring
Brown/Red
Drupe-like

 

TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!



 


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