Oleaster

Do you want to plant a Oleaster? Here you will find all the information you need on how to best plant the Oleaster, and on pruning and caring for your Oleaster.

General characteristics of a Oleaster

Willow (Olive/ aka Ebbings Sliverberry).

The Olive Willow, or Silverberry, is closely related to the sea buckthorn and is a cultivated species. The Olive Willow is also called silverberry because of its silvery sheen. Its name, "Olive Willow," is somewhat confusing, as it is neither an olive nor a willow. It is a popular plant in permaculture and food forests because it fixes nitrogen underground (food for other plants) and is wind-resistant, making it suitable for creating shelter for more vulnerable species. This shrub originates from East Asia and is also called goumi. The fruits are somewhat tart but delicious in jam, among other things. Allow them to ripen fully. They retain some leaves in mild winters. They can reach a height of about 3 meters. 

The Olive Willow has beautiful gray, leathery leaves. It is one of the few hedge plants that thrives near the sea. The Olive Willow thrives in sea winds and salty soil. 

For a hedge that doesn't necessarily need to be opaque, the Olive Willow is an interesting choice. With this plant in your garden, you'll add a touch of white to autumn thanks to the flowers that appear on the Olive Willow. But perhaps even more striking is the pleasant fragrance these flowers exude. After flowering, red berries appear, which contrast beautifully with the large, silvery-green leaves. The Olive Willow (Ebbingei) will not flower if the hedge is pruned twice a year.

 

 


How to plant a Oleaster

n.a.

How to harvest a Oleaster

This species is usually grown at nurseries.

Caring for and pruning your Oleaster

Pruning 

If you want your Olive Willow to become a hedge, it's important to prune it tightly immediately after planting. You can achieve a neat, tidy top by immediately pruning off the top shoots (topping). This will encourage the Olive Willow to also grow new growth at the bottom, creating an evenly full hedge. Longer, protruding branches on the sides can also be pruned immediately, giving the sides a neat, tidy appearance. For a hedge, we recommend pruning your Olive Willow twice a year. It's best to start after the hedge has grown well in May-June, with the second pruning in August. Don't be afraid to prune, but don't prune too deeply. It's better to prune lightly twice a year than to prune very deeply once. If you want fruit on the Olive Willow, we recommend that you do not prune it at all or only prune it once a year in the autumn.

Watering 

During the first year after planting the Olive Willow (Ebbingei), it's important to carefully monitor the soil moisture. The first three months after planting are crucial for its establishment. The Olive Willow needs to develop new roots and can only absorb limited water. Once the Olive Willow hedge has been established for a year, the roots are sufficiently capable of extracting moisture from the soil. It goes without saying that you will need to water it during hot and dry periods.

Where does a Oleaster grow

The Olive Willow thrives in full sun, partial shade, and full shade, and is known for its coastal habitats. It tolerates salty soil and sea breezes well, and grows in any soil type, provided the soil is well-drained.

The plants dislike "wet feet," meaning they sit in a puddle of water for several days. This will cause the roots to rot, and the plant will die. If the soil they will be planted in is sandy (light brown), it is advisable to improve the soil by adding potting soil. This should be done immediately after planting.

This plant prefers moderately nutrient-rich, dry to moist, sandy soil. It is quite tolerant of acidity (pH = 5.5 - 8).


General

Origin
Alien
Tree Type Shrub

Length and Age

Length in about 10 years 1 Up to 2 Meter
Reproductive Maturity in How Many Years 4 Up to 25 year
Maximum Age Up to year
Required Space Up to m2
Growth Rate

Reproduction

Tree is Self-Pollinating No
Reproduction Method
Makes seedlings
Reproduction rate

Reproduction rate

1. Very low reproduction rate. The plant hardly spreads, has few seeds or vegetative spread (e.g., trees with heavy seeds).
2. Low reproduction rate. Spread via limited seed production or specific conditions required
3. Average reproduction rate. Regular spread, depending on wind, water, or animals, at a moderate speed (e.g., dandelion).
4. High reproduction rate. Many seeds and multiple spread strategies (wind, birds, vegetative). Quickly colonizes open spaces
5. Very high reproduction rate. Invasive species that spread explosively over large distances (e.g., Japanese knotweed).

Pruning Period

This Tree is Evergreen No
Summer June tot September
Winter October tot March
Leaf Shapes Oval
Easy to prune Yes

Bark Characteristics Seedling (50-200cm)

Colour

Bud Characteristics Seedling (50-200cm)

Colour
Bud Position Information not available
Bud Shape Information not available

Other

Root
Superficial rooting
Bloom
Has flowers
Has fruits
Wind sensitivity Not sensitive to (sea) wind

Diseases

Sensitive to the Following Diseases Information not available

Harvest/recognition in winter

The Olive Willow has stiff, leathery leaves. The leaves are dark green on top and gray on the underside. The fruits of the Olive Willow have a silvery sheen. This explains why the Olive Willow is also called the Silverberry.

 

Light requirement of the Oleaster

The Oleaster thrives best under these light conditions.
  • Full sun
  • Partial shade
  • Full shade

  • Suitable soil types for the Oleaster

    In this overview, you can find which soil types are best for the Oleaster to grow.
    Soil type Suitability
    light clay
    heavy clay
    sand
    peatland
    Loam
    Moerig op zand
    Lichte zavel
    Zware zavel

    Humidity

    A (ground)water level indicates how deep the groundwater usually is below the surface. The higher the Roman numeral, the deeper the groundwater.
    I
    II
    III
    IV
    V
    VI
    VII
    VIII

    Suitable acidity level for the Oleaster

    Each soil type has a certain acidity level, measured in pH values. You can plant the Oleaster in soil that falls within this range:
    0.0
    0.5
    1.0
    1.5
    2.0
    2.5
    3.0
    3.5
    4.0
    4.5
    5.0
    5.5
    6.0
    6.5
    7.0
    7.5
    8.0
    8.5
    9.0

    Nutritional needs of the Oleaster

    Some soil types offer more nutritional richness than others.
    1.0
    1.5
    2.0
    2.5
    3.0
    3.5
    4.0
    4.5
    5.0
    5.5
    6.0
    6.5
    7.0
    7.5
    8.0
    8.5
    9.0
    1. Very nutrient-poor soil
    2. Very nutrient-poor to nutrient-poor soil
    3. Nutrient-poor soil
    4. Nutrient-poor to moderately nutrient-rich soil
    5. Moderately nutrient-rich soil
    6. Moderately nutrient-rich to nutrient-rich soil
    7. Nutrient-rich soil
    8. Extremely nutrient-rich soil
    9. Very extremely nutrient-rich soil

    Humidity

    Does Oleaster like to have its roots in extremely dry (1.0) or wet (9.0) soil?
    1.0
    1.5
    2.0
    2.5
    3.0
    3.5
    4.0
    4.5
    5.0
    5.5
    6.0
    6.5
    7.0
    7.5
    8.0
    8.5
    9.0
    1. Extremely dry soils
    2. Extremely dry to dry soils
    3. Dry soils
    4. Dry to dry/moist soils
    5. Dry/moist soils
    6. Dry/moist to moist soils
    7. Moist soils
    8. Moist to wet soils
    9. Wet soils

    To be applied in landscapes

    0 = not filled in, 1 = unsuitable, 5 = very suitable
    Landscape Suitability
    Agroforestry
    Hedge
    Hedge
    Forest
    Feeding hedge
    Back yard
    Small back yard
    Solitary
    Wood wall

    Cultural-historical value

    0 = not filled in, 1 = low, 9 = high

    Insects

    How many insects typically live on this tree/plant?
    Which insect groups live on this tree/plant?
    Bees
    Butterflies
    Bumblebees
    Are there insects dependent on this species? No
    Which insect species are dependent on this tree/plant?

    Birds

    Average number of birds per tree/plant?
    Which bird groups live on this tree/plant?

    Mammals

    Average number of mammals per tree/plant?
    Which mammal groups live on this tree/plant?
    Are there mammals dependent on this species? No
    Which mammal species are dependent on this tree/plant?

    Bloom Period

    Summer April Up to May

    Tree Species

    Tree species that this tree prefers to grow with

    Suitable for mammals?

    toxic, 1 = unsuitable, 5 = very suitable
    Mammal Suitability
    Horse
    Human
    Cow
    Chicken
    Cat
    Dog
    Deer
    Herbivorous rodents
    Goat
    Ferret
    Squirrel
    Badgers
    Beavers
    Mouse
    Roe deer
    Sheep
    Pig
    Foxes
    Wild boar

    Explanation

    Explanation

    Edibility

    • Toxic: This tree or shrub is toxic to mammals and absolutely unsuitable for consumption.
    1. Very unsuitable: This tree or shrub is unsuitable for consumption by mammals and can be harmful.
    2. Unsuitable: This tree or shrub is generally unsuitable for consumption by mammals and can have adverse effects.
    3. Moderately suitable: This tree or shrub is moderately suitable as food for mammals, possibly with certain risks or limitations.
    4. Suitable: This tree or shrub is generally suitable as food for mammals, with little to no risks.
    5. Very suitable: This tree or shrub is very suitable as food for mammals, safe, and of high nutritional value.


    Trunk Height

    Average Trunk Height (hg) of the basal area median tree

    from - to, in whole meters, average

    Information not available

    Trunk Diameter

    (dg) (1.30m) of the basal area median tree.

    from - to, in whole centimeters, average

    Information not available

    Aboveground Biomass

    in whole kg

    Information not available

    Belowground Biomass

    in whole kg

    Information not available

    Substance Binder

    Which substances can be bound or absorbed?
    CO2
    Particulate matter

    Carbon Attraction (kf)

    (dg) (1.30m) of the basal area median tree Deciduous Trees (Kf = 0,48)

    Warming Resistance

    This tree is well resistant to the warming (plus 3 degrees) of our climate and fits into the future of our climate (heat and drought resistant). No
    CO2
    Particulate matter

    CO2

    0. not filled in
    1. no storage
    2. low storage
    3. moderate storage
    4. high storage
    5. very high storage

    Fine Dust

    0. not filled in
    1. no capture capacity
    2. low capture capacity
    3. moderate capture capacity
    4. high capture capacity
    5. very high capture capacity

    This is what an adult tree Oleaster looks like

    Oleaster, a mature tree

    This is what the fruits of a Oleaster look like

    Fruit of the oleaser

    This is what a Oleaster in bloom looks like

    Oleaster in bloom

    This is what the leaf of a Oleaster looks like

    Leaf of the oleaster