For a nitrogen fixing plant, they seem to be very poor at fixing their soil to keep themselves alive 
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Yet they seem to line the highways here in SE Michigan. I almost want to start identifying particularly heavy blooming, fragrant and fruiting varieties among the seedlings along our highways. Yellow, orange and the common red are seen. Once I saw an almost black one among a group of darker reds.
Scott
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Yes autumn berry have to establish themselves then they go crazy. Last year was so hard they didn’t get a chance.
Wow sound like great autumn berries to have! Black berries would be interesting. Yellow are good but I’ve not tasted the gold yet. Maybe there is little difference we will see.
Keep in mind there is a native Elaeagnus species in MN
Sliver berry
(Elaeagnus commutata ), a smaller shrub with leaves that remain silvery-green on the upper surface throughout the season, have darker yellow flowers, and larger, pale yellowish fruits.
I guess you could try to breed a triploid to see if it is sterile
(diploid Autumn olive x tetraploid Autumn olive )
sometimes though the nursery trade plants
have reverted back to bearing Viable seeds.
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You should if not for America for another country they are not invasive…
Imagine if they had the odds we have .
So many more invasive so many more variations …
In the past I see Kew Gardens always awarding someone just a regular nurseryman
finding a ornamental that looks very different that didn’t get grafted over.
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Makes we wonder since we have plants like autumn olive that are invasive in some areas if they might still be redeemed in other places. In places like Kansas they may have a commercial use without being a problem? We know they are drought tolerant already since it has silvery leaves which helps it deal with dry climates. Similar to buffalo berry and seaberry. In Nebraska buffalo berry pie is a treat.
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I have to thank Clark for all he shares here. I also feel it is very important to remind anybody reading this thread how aggressive and invasive these plants are. All locations are different, but I wouldn’t dream of suggesting these plants unless your area is already infested. I can never get ahead of these shrubs on my property. If you don’t mow a section for a few weeks, it will be an autumn olive farm. Birds plant the seed EVERYWHERE. They have some redeeming qualities, but please use caution. My great grandfather planted them here in the 60’s. All the following generations have been cursed by them. To me, they are a nightmare. Sorry to be so negative…but I feel it is important in this case.
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What’s funny for me, Sparty, is that we aren’t too far apart (and I’m in the area where these shrubs are pretty ubiquitous and yet the 2 AO I have in my yard barely fruit and I’ve never pulled a self-seeded volunteer.
I have a yellow fruited and a (supposedly heavy fruiting) red. I get barely a pint between the two plants each year. My goumi on the other hand fruits freely.
Scott
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you ever get that one Scott id be interested in a few scions of it. ill trade with you for something.
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burnt ridge has buffaloberry starts. i was considering getting a few. you need a male and female though. i wonder if A.O will pollinate with the buffaloberry? probably not. how productive are buffaloberry compared to A.O? they say buffaloberry is cold hardy to z2. i like that.
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In Nebraska they are great but in Kansas not as good. They do grow here but I’m mostly removing my few remaining berries and prefer AO.
im thinking with all the rain they wouldnt grow well here but Seaberry grows very quickly here so who knows.
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My autumn olive flowers every spring, but doesn’t set any fruit. Meanwhile, the pair of goumi I have are doing great and I really enjoy them.
I think its time to graft over my Autumn olive to goumi.
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I’m in a rural area with tree lines and pasture-like areas that may go a year between mowing. Those areas are quickly claimed by autumn olive and some similar bushes. They sprout up right next to established trees and it is difficult to remove them. They are probably fine in manicured suburban areas, but the birds will spread them to any area not regularly tended.
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I need to spend a day yanking the shrubs and small trees again. What worked last year alone, but will have a worker with me. 1. With tractor bucket, advance on tree at about 2’ height and exposed trunk. Keep in mind the spines. Worker puts chain around trunk. tractor pulls out tree to unload area, unchain and repeat. This is the best I can do
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Yes, similar process here. Sometimes there are so many, and too little time. If it is an out-of-sight area, I just put the bucket low and push them all back toward the woods or swamp. It’s like plowing snow.
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