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  • From: Steven Covacci <filtertitle@aol.com>
  • To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [nafex ibiblio list] Alternatives to Autumn-olive (and the negative ecological impact of Autumn-olive)
  • Date: Mon, 9 Jan 2012 13:06:48 -0500 (EST)



Autumn-olive (Elaeagnus umbellata) [when it (easily) escapes cultivation into
the wild] crowds our our native species, recruiting even on sites (as long as
in good sun) that are low in fertility - sites to which native plants (often
very rare ones) are adapted; so, in such cases, Autumn-olive not only takes
up niches that could have, otherwise, been a spot for native plants (plants
which are ecologically more beneficial - since birdfood is not everything..
you have to consider that many native insects rely upon specific native
plants to feed from and will not utilize exotic invasives, such as
Autumn-olive). Next, which is an easily over-looked fact: Autumn-olive is a
considerable threat to native plants that are specially adapted to
comparatively infertile sites not just because it is so successful at
propagating itself and growing quickly - and densely causing shade to the
herbaceous-layer, but because it is so successful at enriching the soil with
nitrogen: so, after the Autumn-olive dies or allows some light to pass
through it's canopy while it does persist, what will grow on that site is not
your uncommon native flower, grass, or sedge - or tree/shrub seedling, but
some exotic invasive weed that, although it couldn't recruit or thrive well
on that site before the introduction of Autumn-olive, now can do so - thank's
to the nitrifying of the soil.
Now, there are native and other non-native nitrogen-fixing shrubs - these
have about the same effect (and usage potential) as the invasive
nitrogen-fixing shrubs and trees, but will not easily escape your planting
and become invasive.
A short-list:
NATIVE SHRUBS -
Elaeagnaceae (Oleaster Family)

Silver buffaloberry (Shepherdia argentea) - for colder regions; excellent
edible fruit - edible but be cautions.. not edible in large quantities;
thorny for hedges.
Russet buffaloberry (Shepherdia cadandensis) - for colder regions; bitter
fruit - edible but be cautious.. not edible in large quantities; NOT thorny
Silverberry (Elaeagnus commutata) - for widespread conditions; heard the
berry is not that good

Legumosa/Fabaceae (Bean family)

Amorpha fruticosa - nice flowers, magnetic butterfly host to the species that
utilize it, etc.

NON-NATIVE SHRUBS-

Guomi (Elaeagnus multiflora) - for widespread conditions; berry is like a
larger, better Autumn-olive; thorny; selected cultivars readily available;
doesn't send-out adventitious roots to colonize



I suspect that seabuckthorn/seaberry (Hippophae rhamnoides) has the potential
to become an alien invasive in parts of the U.S.; it is in Canada and the U.K.
As for nitrogen-fixing trees, jujube (Ziziphus jujuba) - non-native; only
plant honey-locus and black locust (toxic) where native, as it is an invasive
U.S. native that will naturalize quickly.
Not all members of the bean family (Legumosa/Fabaceae) are nitrogen-fixing
(i.e. the native - Red-bud, Cercis spp. is not).
And you have all sorts of bean family native herbaceous plants, like Cassia
spp. and Senna spp.


I bet that Autumn-olve (and the Russian-olive, E. angustifolia - also
invasive) might be a little better of a nitrogen-fixer then most (?) of these
more ecologically considerate and responsible choices, but the compromise is
well-worth it if you're a nature fan; and I read some research papers on
buffaloberries (Shepherdia spp. - above).. it looks like they put out a ton
of nitrogen, so maybe they would be just as effective, as long as you are in
a colder zone then say 7 - I'm growing it with good results, so far, in 7a/6b.


Steve; NJ 6b/7a






  • [nafex ibiblio list] Alternatives to Autumn-olive (and the negative ecological impact of Autumn-olive), Steven Covacci, 01/09/2012

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