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Elaeagnaceae FAMILY

Elaeagnus × ebbingei

Elaeagnus × ebbingei

Edibility
3/5
Medicinal
2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Cultivation Details

HabitEvergreen Shrub
GrowthMedium

Elaeagnus ebbingei is fairly cold hardy, tolerating temperatures down to about -20°c when dormant. Although usually evergreen, it can be deciduous in very cold winters[1]. A very easily grown plant, it succeeds in most soils that are well-drained[2, 1]. Prefers a soil that is only moderately fertile, succeeding in poor soils and in dry soils[2, 1]. A drought resistant plant once established, it can be grown on top of Cornish hedges (drystone walls with earth between two vertical layers of stones). It is very tolerant of shade and grows well under trees[1]. Plants are very tolerant of maritime exposure, growing well right by the coast[PFAF]. Fruiting as it does in middle to late spring, this plant has excellent potential as a fruit crop in the temperate zone. The fruit is of a reasonable size and when fully ripe is very acceptable for dessert[PFAF]. It should be fairly easy to selectively breed for improved fruit size and flavour[PFAF]. Not all plants bear many fruits, though many specimens have been seen that produce very heavy crops on a regular basis[PFAF]. Since this is a hybrid species, yields may be improved by growing a selection of cultivars or one of the parent plants nearby for cross pollination. Elaeagnus pungens is perhaps the best candidate for this and its cultivar Elaeagnus pungens 'Variegata' has been seen on a number of occasions with good crops of fruit next to Elaeagnus x ebbingei plants that are also laden with fruit[PFAF]. The cultivar Elaeagnus x ebbingei 'Gilt Edge' is also probably a good pollinator[PFAF]. Other cultivars worth looking at are 'Salcombe Seedling', which is said to flower more abundantly than the type[1] and 'Limelight', which has been seen with a good crop of fruits even on small bushes[PFAF]. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[1]. An excellent companion plant, when grown in orchards it can increase yields from the fruit trees by up to 10%. Plants produce very aromatic flowers in late autumn and early winter[3]. This species is notably resistant to honey fungus[4, 1]. Sometimes whole branches die out for no apparent reason. This happens most frequently when it is grafted onto Elaeagnus multiflora[3]. These branches should be removed from the plant.

Propagation

Seed - this is a hybrid and it will not breed true from seed. If this is not a problem, then the seed is best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame[5]. It should germinate freely within 4 weeks, though it may take 18 months[PFAF]. Stored seed can be very slow to germinate, often taking more than 18 months. A warm stratification for 4 weeks followed by 12 weeks cold stratification can help[6]. The seed usually (eventually) germinates quite well[5]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pot as soon as they are large enough to handle and plant out when they are at least 15cm tall. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 7 - 10cm with a heel, mid summer in a frame. Rather slow, but you usually get a good percentage rooting[5]. Early summer is the best time to take cuttings[7]. Cuttings of mature wood of the current year's growth, 10 - 12cm with a heel, late autumn in a frame. Leave for 12 months. Fair to good percentage[5]. Layering in September/early autumn. Takes 12 months[5]. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-21. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Elaeagnus+%C3%97%C2%A0ebbingei>

Pollinators

Bees

References

  1. [1]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  2. [2]Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. — Bean. W. · Murray · 1981 · ISBN - ↩︎A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
  3. [3]Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. — Thomas. G. S. · Murray · 1992 · ISBN 0-7195-5043-2 ↩︎Contains a wide range of plants with a brief description, mainly of their ornamental value but also usually of cultivation details and varieties.
  4. [4]The Garden. Volume 112. — RHS. · Royal Horticultural Society · 1987 · ISBN - ↩︎Snippets of information from the magazine of the RHS. In particular, there are articles on plants that are resistant to honey fungus, oriental vegetables, Cimicifuga spp, Passiflora species and Cucurbits.
  5. [5]Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. — Sheat. W. G. · MacMillan and Co · 1948 · ISBN - ↩︎A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
  6. [6]Seed Manual for Ornamental Trees and Shrubs. — Gordon. A. G. and Rowe. D. C. F. · HMSO; London · 1982 · ISBN 0-11-710152-4 ↩︎Very comprehensive guide to growing trees and shrubs from seed. Not for the casual reader.
  7. [7]Climbers and Wall Shrubs. — Davis. B. · Viking. · 1990 · ISBN 0-670-82929-3 ↩︎Contains information on 2,000 species and cultivars, giving details of cultivation requirements. The text is terse but informative.
  8. [8]Plants for Human Consumption. — Kunkel. G. · Koeltz Scientific Books · 1984 · ISBN 3874292169 ↩︎An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of Latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
  9. [9]The New Plantsman. Volume 1, 1994. — Matthews. V. · Royal Horticultural Society · 1994 · ISBN 1352-4186 ↩︎A quarterly magazine, it has articles on Himalayacalamus hookerianus, hardy Euphorbias and an excellent article on Hippophae spp.
  10. [PFAF]Plants for a Future — pfaf.org ↩︎