Silverberry
Elaeagnus commutata
- Native to:
- Canada, United States
iNaturalist: © irinashalisko (iNaturalist #89512254)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Elaeagnaceae
- Genus:
- Elaeagnus
- Species:
- Elaeagnus commutata
- USDA Symbol:
- ELCO
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Shrub
- Height:
- 400 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun,Part Shade,Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun,jul
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow, silver
- Landscaping Shrub:
- Yes
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Salt Tolerant:
- Yes
- Fragrant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts vigorously from root crown and extensive rhizome system following fire or top damage.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- tolerates poor soil conditions
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Warm then cold/moist stratification (double dormancy) — 60–90 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–60 days
- Notes:
- Warm stratification (60-90 days) followed by cold stratification (60-90 days) improves germination. Seeds may have erratic germination over several months.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: For seeds, pre-treatments include cold moist stratification for 30-90 days or a 48-hour running water rinse followed by a 60-day cold moist stratification. For cuttings, trim to a 6-8 inch length, remove all buds, leaves, and branches from the basal 2-3 inches, remove all flowers and fruit, recut the base at an angle, wound the basal end, dip in a broad spectrum fungicide, and insert the base into a rooting compound containing 3,000-5,000 ppm of IBA.
Establishment: Germination rates and times can vary depending on the specific protocol used. Some protocols recommend fall sowing in the field as a substitute for the cold, moist treatment. For cuttings, rooting quality was excellent with a 75% success rate.
Source: npn.rngr.net