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[tanis <tanistanis@hotmail.com>]

Southern WI:  I know of autumn olive planted in sandy soil near a marsh.  
These have grown into monsters, but not spread much.  Within a mile away, on 
soils more like clay, seeds grow well when planted by birds but the mature 
plants die quicker of a trunk canker.  In some of this clay soil apple trees 
are nearly impossible to establish, so I wonder if the better selections of 
autumn olive would be worth trying.

60 degrees today, everything running late
 

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> Date: Fri, 28 Mar 2014 06:48:28 -0400
> From: ehilborn
> Subject: Re: [nafex] Elaeagnus angustifolia
>
> Mary, I do not think that humidity is the key variable. I live in a
> very humid zone 7. They are intrepid invaders here in both disturbed and
> intact forest and grasslands, I manage them, but cannot eradicate them.
>
> I would not plant one on purpose.
>
> Betsy Hilborn
> Zone 7a (again!), NC
>


> On 3/27/2014 3:02 PM, Mary Yett wrote:
>> Whether or not a plant becomes invasive depends a lot on the local climate.
>> Here on Manitoulin Island, Ontario in a humid zone 4 with a maritime
>> climate ( cool summers), none of the Eleagnus spp have ever become a pest
>> sp. In hotter, southern Ontario, there are areas where Autumn Olive, for
>> example , has naturalized as a pioneer sp.
>>
>> In humid climates,these pioneer spp typically establish only on disturbed
>> and/or infertile ground. Their role in the natural succession of
>> temperate,humid ecosystems is to fix nitrogen from the air, improve the
>> soil, provide a bit of shade for other, taller trees to germinate in and
>> then die out when the taller trees shade them out.
>>
>> Our dominate agriculture system keeps succession at the ruderal stage
>> (early annual weeds, ie annual crops, and pioneer woody spp) by the use of
>> constant disturbance (plowing annually,mowing roadsides, etc). This creates
>> good habitat for pioneer spp, both native and introduced.If left alone in a
>> temperate humid climate, Eleagnus spp just do their work and then fade away
>> and do not have a negative impact on the native ecosystems.
>>
>> I realize that in a dry climate, esp with poor soils, the picture can be
>> very different.
>>