Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata)

English and Scientific Name: Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata)

Kingdom: Plantae

Phylum: Angiosperms

Class: Eudicots

Observation: What I learned about this is that it can actually grow in an infertile environment (wikidpedia.org, 2011).  I didn’t think it was possible for plants to grow in such an environment.  This is another organism that I viewed at the wildlife refuge. 

Questions:

1.      Is it edible?

2.      Why is it able to grown in infertile environments?

3.      Does it need water to grow?

Scientific Research:

Rey, Pedro. Spatio-Temporal Variation in Fruit and Frugivorous Bird Abundance in Olive Orchards, Ecology, Vol. 76, No. 5 (Jul., 1995), pp. 1625-1635. Article Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1938163.

Is it edible?

Yes, olive orchards play an important role in maintaining frugivorous bird populations in the Mediterranean area.

Websites:
http://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/plants/autmnolive.shtml
http://www.in.gov/dnr/files/Autumn_Olive.pdf
http://mdc.mo.gov/landwater-care/invasive-species-management/invasive-plant-management/autumn-olive-control
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autumn_Olive