Thorny Olive Plant Care

Thorny Olive (Elaeagnus pungens) belongs to the Elaeagnaceae family within the Elaeagnus genus. Thorny Olive is native to Asia, including China and Japan. Thorny Olive is also known as Silverberry, Ebbinge's Silverberry.

Thorny Olive displays an upright, spreading shrub growth habit, reaching up to 10 ft tall with a spread of approximately 8 ft. Thorny Olive produces small, fragrant silver or yellow flowers.

Leaf size: approximately 3 inches.

Water a young or newly planted Thorny Olive every 7–14 days, soaking the whole root zone, until it is established — usually one to two growing seasons. Established trees mainly need water during long dry spells. In a container, water whenever the top few centimetres of soil are dry.

Thorny Olive thrives in full sun to partial shade.

Elaeagnus pungens tolerates temperatures of 50–85°F. Thorny Olive prefers humidity levels of 40–70%.

Well-draining sandy loam with added organic matter. Good drainage is essential for Thorny Olive to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.

Feed Thorny Olive every 6 months during the growing season with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at the rate on the label. Established trees in good soil often need little extra feeding, so let weak growth or pale foliage guide you.

Stop feeding by late summer so new growth can harden before winter.

The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.

Choose a spot with full sun to partial shade and well-draining sandy loam with added organic matter. Avoid low spots where water collects after rain.

Thorny Olive is suited to USDA Zone 12a.

Plant container-grown or balled-and-burlapped trees in spring or early autumn, setting the root flare at soil level, and water well after planting.

Thorny Olive can spread to about 8 ft (2.4 m) and reach about 10 ft (3 m) tall. Space plants about 8 ft (2.4 m) apart so mature crowns don't crowd each other, and plant at least half that distance from buildings, fences and paths.

Planning a row or hedge? Try the tree spacing calculator.

Prune Thorny Olive while it is dormant in late winter: first remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, then thin lightly for shape.

If it flowers in spring, prune right after flowering instead so you don't remove next year's buds. Never take off more than about a quarter of the tree in one year.

Thorny Olive is frost-tender (hardy to USDA zone 12). In colder areas grow it in a container and move it to a bright, frost-free place before the first frost.

Thorny Olive can be propagated through softwood cuttings, hardwood cuttings, seeds. Similar propagation techniques also apply to russian olive plant care, which shares the same genus.

See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.

Thorny Olive is susceptible to aphids, scale insects, spider mites. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.

Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.

Thorny Olive grows outdoors in USDA Zone 12a. It survives winters down to planting zone 12a. Thorny Olive is native to Asia, including China and Japan. In cooler regions, grow Thorny Olive as a houseplant or bring it indoors before the first frost.