BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Elaeagnus commutata | Silverberry 



GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS : 
Silverberry is a native, deciduous, long-lived perennial shrub that
grows from 3.3 to 13 feet (1-4 m) tall [23,27,38].  It is erect,
strongly rhizomatous, and stoloniferous [27,38,50,51], sometimes forming
thickets or loose colonies [50,51].  The leaves are 0.8 to 3.2 inches
(2-8 cm) long [19,38,51].  The flowers are tubular and sweet-scented,
0.48 to 0.60 inch (12-15 mm) long [51].  The fruit is ovate to
ellipsoid, drupelike and 0.32 to 0.40 inch (8-10 mm) long [19,51].  


RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM : 
   Hemicryptophyte
   Geophyte


REGENERATION PROCESSES : 
Silverberry reproduces mainly by rhizomes [23,59].  It spreads by
underground stems from which single aerial stems arise [50,51]. 

Silverberry can also reproduce by seed.  It is pollinated by insects and
its seed is dispersed by birds [42].  Seeds remain viable for 1 to 2
years on cold, dry sites.  Good seed crops are produced every 1 to 2
years.  The yield is between 2,700 to 4,600 seeds per pound [42,59].


SITE CHARACTERISTICS : 
Silverberry grows on a variety of sites from warm, open, sunny
grasslands to cooler, forested areas and woodland thickets.  In
southwestern Montana, silverberry occurs in moist areas along streams
and near springs and seeps [35,38].  Silverberry grows on diverse sites
with a variety of slope, elevation, aspect, and soil conditions
[23,51,59].

Silverberry grows best in loamy soils, but is commonly found in dry,
sandy or gravelly soils on exposed hillsides [21,50,51,59].  Silverberry
is adapted to soils with high susceptibility to erosion.  It can
tolerate moderately alkaline soils and is somewhat drought resistant
[59].

Elevational ranges are listed for some western states and Canadian
provinces:  
 
                        feet              meters

Alaska              300 to 3,000         91-1,200      [29,31]
Montana           4,125 to 7,000      1,250-2,100      [32,35]
North Dakota        800 to 1,800          240-540      [59]
Utah              6,040 to 8,050      1,830-2,440      [60]
Alberta           2,010 to 6,270        610-1,900      [1,47]



SUCCESSIONAL STATUS : 
Facultative Seral Species

Silverberry is a shade intolerant species of sparse woods and open areas
where there is often evidence of past soil disturbance [9,46].  It is
dominant in Alberta aspen parklands that are 6 to 19 years old [61].
Silverberry is a facultative wetland species in Alaska [45].


SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT : 
Silverberry flowering dates for several states are as follows: 

North Dakota         mid-June     [50]
South Dakota         June-July    [42]
Ontario              July-Aug     [51] 
Saskatchewan         May-June     [12]

Fruit ripening occurs from August to October in the Great Plains and
from August to September in Colorado and South Dakota [19,42,58].  Seed
dispersal occurs from September to November in South Dakota [42].  

Related categories for Species: Elaeagnus commutata | Silverberry