Hardiness zones
Sunset 1-24
USDA 1-11
Landscape Use: Large accent tree, background, windbreak
Form & Character: Wide open, upright spreading, carefree, silver blue
Growth Habit: Deciduous, rapid growth to 10 to 40' in height depending on water supply with greater spread.
Foliage/texture: Lanceolate, highly glaucous (silver blue) leaves to 6" in length, black bark, young stems produce thorns; medium fine texture.
Flowers & fruits: Creamy yellow 4 petalled flowers with significant yellow corolla, are highly aromatic, produced in clusters of 1-3, fruit in clusters, small cherry-like drupe, orange-brown covered in silvery scales.
Seasonal color: Flowers in early summer, fruit in fall.
Temperature: Highly cold tolerant, heat tolerant to 110oF
Light: Full shade
Soil: Highly tolerant
Watering: In upper elevations of Arizona where it is primarily grown, it requires supplemental water in only the most arid regions of the NE Arizona desert plateau.
Pruning: Elevate canopy base and train crown branching as needed.
Propagation: Seed, softwood cuttings
Disease and pests: Trunk and and root heart rot can inflict older trees
Additional comments: Russian olive is considered by most to be a very opportunistic to invasive tree. It has naturalized in riparians areas throughout Canada and the entire US (except the southeastern states because of the warmer humid climate). On balance, Russian olive is a hardy, small excellent tree for those desolate, high desert landscaped areas like the Wahweap campground at Lake Powell, Arizona, where few trees can grow and provide shade to dehydrated and sun-pruned campers. The fruit are edible, sweet, but somewhat mealy. Fruits is vigorously eaten and disseminated by many species of birds. Russian olive is a nitrogen fixer.