Elaeagnus multiflora

What to Eat

Edible parts: Fruit, Seeds

The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked. When fully ripe it is pleasantly acid and makes a very good dessert fruit, though it is most commonly used in pies, preserves and similar preparations. It must be fully ripe before it can be enjoyed raw — if even slightly under-ripe it will be quite astringent. The fruit is somewhat fiddly and difficult to pick without breaking young shoots. It contains a single large seed, which can also be eaten raw or cooked alongside the fruit, though the seed case is rather fibrous.

Where to Find It

It is a temperate plant. It is best grown in full sun but can grow in light shade. It will grow on poor and dry soils. It can tolerate polluted air and windy conditions. It can tolerate cold conditions. It suits hardiness zones 5-9. In Sichuan.

Africa, Asia, Australia, Britain, Central Asia, China*, Europe, Japan, Korea, North Africa, North America, Pacific, Philippines, SE Asia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Tibet, USA,

How to Identify

A wide spreading evergreen shrub. It grows 3 m high and spreads 2 m wide. The leaves are green on the upper surface. They are silvery underneath. The new shoots are red brown. The flowers on them are fragrant. The flowers are yellowish-white and drooping. The fruit are red with silver specks. They are 1.5 cm across. They are edible. There are several botanical varieties.

How to Grow

An easily grown plant, it succeeds in most soils that are well-drained. Prefers a soil that is only moderately fertile, succeeding in poor soils and in dry soils. Prefers a light sandy loam and a sunny position but succeeds in light shade. Very drought and wind resistant. Tolerates atmospheric pollution. Plants are hardy to about -20°c, but the roots are hardy to -30°c (although top growth will be killed at this temperature). A very variable species, it is often cultivated for its edible fruit in Japan, there are some named varieties. Plants can crop in 4 years from cuttings. They bear heavily in Britain. The synonym E. longipes is sometimes accepted as a distinct species, differing mainly in having very long peduncles about 2.5cm in length. The fruit is well hidden in the shrub and is quite difficult to harvest without damaging the plant. The ssp. E. multiflora ovata. (Maxim.)Servettaz. produces brown fruits on long stalks, would this be any easier to harvest?. This species is notably resistant to honey fungus. Birds love the fruits. 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. An excellent companion plant, when grown in orchards it can increase yields from the fruit trees by up to 10%. The small flowers are deliciously scented with a lilac-like smell, their aroma pervading the garden on calm days. In garden design, as well as the above-ground architecture of a plant, root structure considerations help in choosing plants that work together for their optimal soil requirements including nutrients and water. Many Elaeagnus species are self-fertile, meaning they can produce fruit without needing another plant for cross-pollination. Fruits from Elaeagnus species are usually harvested in late summer to early autumn, depending on the species and local climate. Elaeagnus species generally flower in late spring to early summer depending on the specific species and environmental conditions. Elaeagnus species are relatively fast-growing shrubs or small trees, typically reaching maturity in 3 to 5 years. They can grow to heights of 1 to 5 meters (3 to 16 feet) depending on the species and growing conditions.

Propagation: Seed is best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. It should germinate in late winter or early spring, though it may take 18 months. Stored seed can be very slow to germinate, often taking more than 18 months; a warm stratification for 4 weeks followed by 12 weeks of cold stratification can help. Prick out seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and plant out when at least 15cm tall. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 7–10cm with a heel, taken in July/August in a frame give a good percentage. Cuttings of mature wood from the current year's growth, 10–12cm with a heel, taken in November in a frame give a fair to good percentage; leave for 12 months. Layering in September/October takes 12 months.

Medicinal Uses

The fruit is a very rich source of vitamins and minerals, particularly vitamins A, C and E, flavanoids and other bio-active compounds, and provides a fairly good supply of essential fatty acids, which is unusual for a fruit. It is being investigated for its potential to reduce the incidence of cancer and to halt or reverse cancer growth. The leaves are used in the treatment of coughs. The fruit is prescribed for watery diarrhoea. The root is astringent, and a decoction is used to treat itch and foul sores.

Other Uses

Plants can be grown as a hedge in exposed positions, tolerating maritime exposure. They are reasonably fast-growing and provide a good screen in summer, though the hedge is more open in winter. The plants enrich the soil through nitrogen fixation and improve the growth of neighbouring plants, making them a beneficial companion hedge. A hedge in a very exposed position at Rosewarne in N. Cornwall reached 3.5 metres in height by 1989. The species is often used as a rootstock for evergreen Elaeagnus that are hard to grow from cuttings, though it frequently sprouts from the base and can out-compete the scion.

Elaeagnus multiflora, the cherry elaeagnus, cherry silverberry, goumi, gumi, or natsugumi, is a species of Elaeagnus native to China, Korea, Japan and the Russian Far east (Sakhalin).

Production

It is fast growing. A bush can produce 4-8 kg of fruit in a year. In China plants flower in April to May and fruit in June to July.

Other Information

It is a cultivated food plant.

Notes

There are 45 Elaeagnus species.

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