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Elaeagnus angustifolia, commonly called Russian olive, silver berry, oleaster, or wild olive, is a species of Elaeagnus, native to Asia and limited areas of eastern Europe. It is widely established in North America as an introduced species.
The species is established and reproduced primarily by seed, with some vegetative propagation also occurring. The branches have thorns that can be long.
According to Sudnik et al. (2009), "Most authors suggest that Elaeagnus angustifolia originated from the Irano-Turanian region. The species is widely distributed in south-west Asia. In the East its range extends from Kashmir and north-west India to eastern Kazakhstan. The western limit of the species distribution is unclear; the natural character of the tree stands in the lower Volga region (Golub et al. 2002) and Anatolia (Brow ic z1996) is questioned."
Further east in Asia, the native range stretches into Afghanistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and the nations of the Caucasus. In India they are found in the western Himalayas. There is a disjunct population in Myanmar and Assam in eastern India. They grow natively in Mongolia and in China they are found in the north-central, southeast, Inner Mongolia, Manchuria, Qinghai, and Xinjiang.
The caterpillars of the high altitude alpine moth Lachana alpherakii use it as a host plant. The fruit is readily eaten and the seeds disseminated by many species of birds.
In Iran, the dried powder of the fruit is used mixed with milk for rheumatoid arthritis and joint pains. There is evidence supporting beneficial effects of aqueous extract of Persian olive in reducing the symptoms of osteoarthritis with an efficacy comparable to that of acetaminophen and ibuprofen.
It is one of the seven items used in Haft-sin, a traditional table setting of Nowruz, the traditional Persian spring celebration. The dried fruit, known locally as senjed, is one of seven served in its own syrup in a fruit salad called haft mēwa eaten during Nowruz in Afghanistan.
In folk herbalism Russian olive has a wide variety of uses. The leaves, fruit, flowers, and bark are all employed. The leaves are known to help in the gastrointestinal system, assist in wound healing and are used as an antibacterial. The fruit has a wide range of traditional applications, including use as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. The flowers are a traditional remedy for fevers, made as an herbal infusion.
In urban settings, landscapers use plantings of Russian olive to discourage the Homelessness from resting or sleeping in the location.Fenton, Mike. Discouraging Loiterers by Design Security Management, 01 May 2008.
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