russian olive

[fordson major]

has any one grown this tree? does it have a lot of thorns (big bonus, looking for a very thorny tree for the property line!) supposed too fix its own nitrogen and grow on poor soils but what about wet soils?

[starjj]

Don't know about soil conditions it will grow in but will testify it has thorns. I never liked the two I use to have gowing in my backyard

[Kmac15]

Is this the one that smells so sweet?

[Denise K.]

I would never plant them. They have horrid thornes and spread wildly. We have many that grow along the rivers around here. Years ago because of lack of irrigation many were planted (they are tough trees) most people have removed them. Yes they have a sweet smell, but those with allergies say they cause alot of problems. You could not pay me to plant any around here!

[jane2256]

They have been banned in many areas, I think Colorado put a ban on them and tamerisk due to the negative environmental impact they cause.

[postroad]

They are a naughty tree!

[DaleK]

What's wrong with prickly ash FM? (got it on the brain, been cutting out fencelines on the farm I bought for 6 weeks now and every single fence is 50' thick with prickly ash. Haven't stopped bleeding yet from the gouging I got first thing this morning)

[Old Vet]

I have grown it and like it for fence line. It has thorns but not big ones. Animals and birds like the fruit. I grew this at a nursery for wildlife food.

[JJ Grandits]

My favorite thorny hedge tree is the Washinton Hawthorne. They are evil to the enth degree. Mixed with Multi Flora roses and you've created an impassible barrier. They also produce fruit and rose hips which are attactive to bird and wildlife. They will grow almost anywhere in New York and wet soil is not a problem so with a simular climate they should do well.

[Tracy Rimmer]

It grows in the shelterbelts out here -- it's available through the PFRA.

If you want something thorny, see if Sea Buckthorn will grow where you are -- very thorny, and edible fruit that have a LOT of vitamin C.

[postroad]

Originally Posted by Tracy Rimmer

It grows in the shelterbelts out here -- it's available through the PFRA.

If you want something thorny, see if Sea Buckthorn will grow where you are -- very thorny, and edible fruit that have a LOT of vitamin C.

Well edible is a bit of a stretch. more like non poisoness.

[Tracy Rimmer]

Originally Posted by postroad

Well edible is a bit of a stretch. more like non poisoness.

Well, you wouldn't want to eat them PLAIN as they're rather.... "tart" , but they make fantastic jelly (and the wine isn't half bad, either)

[Danaus29]

Check your area's noxious weed list. Russian Olive is very invasive and it is illegal to plant in a lot of US locations. It does spread like wildfire, almost as bad as some honeysuckles.

[rambler]

Around here, honeysuckle was a very desiarable outer hedge for the groves. Unfortunately they got a disease a couple decades ago, and are virtually gone. The govt would help pay to get them going as part of a good windbreak.

Also, Russian Olive. We had a short row of them in the grove as well, again with the suggestion of the govt. Was a nice little tree, sure makes good firewood as they died off, burns well! They were is some heavy clay & reasonably wet ground. The thorns were not so bad, but they were thorny.

Never had any problem with any of those. Here. Nice plants.

Now, buckthorn.... _that_ is a noxious weed, and needs to be controlled. Here. It harbors some bugs that wreck soybeans. Not good.

Prickly ash - yeow! We only have little short things, don't get much taller than me, that's what people call prickly ash here. They do draw blood, with so many thorns!

Not disagreeing with anyone, just the differences of 'here' and 'there' on these sorts of things.

--->Paul

[Paul Wheaton]

I understand that seaberry (aka sea buckthorn) is sweetened and a popular beverage in russia. It's also a nitrogen fixer.

Russian olive is also a nitrogen fixer.

If you want to talk about a nitrogen fixer with thorns, howzabout honey locust? Some farmers used to use the thorns as nails.

[fordson major]

Originally Posted by DaleK

What's wrong with prickly ash FM? (got it on the brain, been cutting out fencelines on the farm I bought for 6 weeks now and every single fence is 50' thick with prickly ash. Haven't stopped bleeding yet from the gouging I got first thing this morning)

we try too do our bit too eliminate prickly ash as well as box elder from the face of the earth Dale! even the sheep back away from the stuff! beat it back into the fence rows, now only 2 small patches!
we have used locust before, just looking for variety and thorns are a bonus! have some hawthorn as well as buck thorn (i believe that is what the plant is!) growning on the farm. sheep will keep most anything in check when small!
thanx!

[CSA again]

I read somewhere ,a place in Tenn. had developed a hybrid thorn bush that did not spread Just for use to stop foot trafic around property lines
I'll try to find a link

[geo in mi]

There are actually two 'olive' type bushes, both imported, both invasive, since the seeds are not digested by the birds and sprout wherever the bird happens to drop them: russian olive, from Russia, and Autumn Olive, from China. I would prefer neither, since my woods is already filled with wild honeysuckle and Rugosa(maybe even Multiflora) roses--I certainly don't need to hack away at anything else invasive there.

I would give quince a try for a fence. They are certainly thorny, They grow about five feet high, they have very nice pink blossems, but they produce very hard, bitter tasting 'apples' which drop right down from the bush when they ripen in the late fall so they won't spread all over the countryside--and over into your neighbor's property. They also make pretty good jelly when combined with regular apples for sweetening up a bit. Only problem I ever had with them was that I had to pick the hard, baseball like fruits, BEFORE Halloween night......

[DW]

Had afriend who wripped out a huge row...kept making his tractor tires flat...huge thorns!!!!

[Runestone]

I have a Russian Olive in my yard...it hasn't spread at all and I've had it for 5 years in the same place - could be our zone 4 is too cold for it to spread much. It is sold in our nurseries in Ontario so I don't think it is 'noxious'. That being said, lupines are a wonderful flower but I'd never have them on my farm...they spread like wildfire