Russian olive

[NortheastAl]

Nice pics, Dennis. Looks like you are overloaded with the dastardly bush yourselves. Just smelling them is enough to stop someone from planting one these scourges. How did they ever get here?

 

[rideau]

I've never had the pleasure of seeing one in person (ha!), but I've often seen them for sale in plant catalogues. Really makes one wonder if we'll EVER learn anything....

 

[PapaDave]

Never noticed these until about 3 years ago while walking to the back stacks.
They produce small edible berries, but you'd need to eat somewhere in the vicinity of 5 million to do anything. Small pit inside. Somewhat sweet.
I watched a vid last year about someone making juice or jelly with them.
We have 'em all over the place.

 

[Blazin]

We've declared them a noxious invasive species in Montana. They spread mainly through birds, who eat the berries and drop the seed as they fly. They burn OK, but the smell is horrible. They will sucker like crazy in wet conditions. The branches are covered with thorns too, which makes them even more undesirable.

Click for a larger image.

(broken image removed)

 

[Applesister]

Just like chinese bittersweet and siberian elm and chinese chestnut.

 

[Applesister]

Whos watching the government??

 

[Backwoods Savage]

The hackers.

 

[Jeffm1]

Has anyone ever burned any of this junk? If so, what is it like?

I can hardly believe how invasive this stuff has been over the last 20 years in our area. One of the worst things about the month of May is when these things blossom. Terrible stink and it gives me a headache. It also grows super fast and the only advantage I can see is that it creates good cover for wildlife. I'm not even sure any birds or animals will even eat the fruit.

I cut some last year and just got done burning some of it. It does burn hot and fairly long. At least compared to the pine I usually burn. It does have somewhat of a funky odor but I only smell it when I open the stove door to reload. So for me I use it as overnight wood. Burns hot and long and I get good heat from it. It has cool blue flames and orange slow motion sparks that I love to watch through the stove door window. Makes a bit of ash though, kind of like shag bark juniper in that regard. But a lot of people hate these and want them cut down. So I help out and get free heat . Has hellaceous thorns so wear good leather gloves and thick clothing when downing a Russian olive. Tough, twisted wood and a pain to split. Beautiful wood though. A wood workers dream. The longer you season it, the less funky smell. I am saving some for next year to see what it is like at the two year mark. I don't seek it out but if it falls into my lap for free I will take it.

 

[Oldman47]

I've never had the pleasure of seeing one in person (ha!), but I've often seen them for sale in plant catalogues. Really makes one wonder if we'll EVER learn anything....

Another common nuisance in plant catalogs is the multiflora roses that are sold for "wildlife" cover. Heck yea it works. Have you ever tried to travel through the woods where they have taken over an edge? I made the mistake about 38 years ago of planting half a dozen in my front yard but figured out the issues before they got away from me and I mowed them off level with the lawn for a few years until they quit coming back. Then I planted peonies in their place, which I still have and enjoy.