Silverberry, a magnificent evergreen shrub

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Silver-gold foliage that bounces light back into the borders, and a discreet spring bloom whose delicate fragrance draws the bees: silverberry (Elaeagnus x commutata) is an extremely hardy evergreen shrub for hedges, coastal gardens and even jam from its ripe berries. Give it sun and well-drained ground — waterlogged soil is the one thing it won’t forgive.

Key silverberry facts

– Elaeagnus x commutata

Care, planting and annual pruning help enhance the growth of your silverberry plant.

• Reader story: Birds poisoning a silverberry?

Planting silverberry

Silverberry is best planted in fall, but it copes perfectly with being planted all year round if purchased potted.

• If you plant during winter or during summer, avoid frost and freezing and heat waves, respectively.
• Silverberry prefers locations with high exposure to sunlight.
• It doesn’t really like waterlogged soil.
• Ideally, a mix of soil mix and garden soil is prepared upon planting.

This shrub resists harsh conditions well, making it ideal for coastal gardens.

To make a hedge, space trunks around 3 feet (1 meter) apart.

• Choose well drained soil and follow our guidance for planting shrubs.

• Skip the nitrogen-rich fertiliser at planting, since silverberry roots host Frankia bacteria that supply their own nitrogen.
• Set the shrub so the top of the root ball sits level with the surrounding soil, as a buried collar rots quickly in ground that stays damp.
• Water deeply after planting and through the first dry spells, because silverberry only shrugs off drought once its roots have reached out into the surrounding soil.

Pruning silverberry

Prune with the goal to increase the number of branches. This will result in your shrubs or hedges being more opaque. In order to succeed, prune the shrubs lightly over the first few years, cutting back about ⅓ of the previous year’s growth.

Pruning time for silverberry is the beginning of spring or in fall.

Silverberry shrubs grow back after all sorts of pruning, even if these were drastic.

They can thus be given different shapes, such as a big ball or other, without hindering their development.

• Follow our advice on pruning shrubs.

Save drastic renovation cuts for the spring slot rather than autumn, so the new shoots have the whole growing season to harden before frost.

All there is to know about silverberry

It’s native to the Americas and is a perfect alternative to invasive Russian Olive.

Being extremely hardy and very beautiful with its silver-gold hues, silverberry is making a comeback among the favorite plants in our gardens.

Evergreen varieties reflect light towards flower beds and lighten up hedges all year round.

In spring, its discrete and soft blooming attracts bees with a delicate fragrance. The berries, when fully ripe, can be harvested to prepare silverberry jam.

An interesting species which belongs to the same Elaeagnus genus is E. angustifolia, also called Russian olive tree. However, if you’re not in its native zone, it’s better not to plant that particular species.

Another species with appealing yellow-mottled leaves is Eleagnus pungens maculata.

Read more on shrubs:

Other interesting hedge shrubs: strawberry tree, wild privet, weigela, cypress, camellia, photinia, flowering currant…

• Go for green all year-round and start an evergreen hedge
• Or create a flowered hedge that blooms as seasons fly by
• Attract birds with berry shrubs
• Learn to create mixed hedges which are great barriers against diseases and parasites

Smart tip about silverberry

Elaeagnus usually doesn’t do well in very wet ground. Avoid waterlogged soil and stagnant water or your plant will dwindle away.