In the 1830s, America imported autumn olives from eastern Asia to stop erosion and reclaim mines; now the plant infests much of the United States

It was once considered a smart solution to an environmental problem. Autumn olive, a shrub native to eastern Asia, was introduced to the United States in the 1830s and later widely used to control erosion, restore degraded land and reclaim areas damaged by mining.

Today, the same plant is considered an invasive species across much of the country.

The story of autumn olive shows how an attempt to help damaged ecosystems can sometimes create a much bigger problem decades later.


The US Forest Service’s Northern Research Station says autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata), a member of the oleaster family, was brought to the United States from eastern Asia in the 1830s. Its ability to grow rapidly in poor, dry and exposed soils made it attractive for land-management projects.

It was particularly useful on strip-mined and other disturbed lands, where vegetation can struggle to become established. The shrub was also promoted for conservation plantings because its dense growth could help stabilize soil and reduce erosion. Its small red berries provided food for birds and other wildlife.

At first, those characteristics appeared to make autumn olive an ideal restoration plant.

But they also helped turn it into a difficult invasive species.

Why autumn olive became a problem

One of the shrub's most unusual traits is its ability to fix nitrogen. Through a relationship with bacteria associated with its roots, autumn olive can take atmospheric nitrogen and add it to the soil.

That can be beneficial in nutrient-poor, degraded land. But in ecosystems that naturally evolved under low-nutrient conditions, changing soil fertility can give certain plants an advantage over native species.

The US Forest Service has noted that autumn olive can significantly alter soil fertility, potentially changing the conditions under which native grassland and woodland plants grow.

The shrub is also remarkably aggressive.

Autumn olive can grow as tall as 20 feet and often develops into dense, multi-stemmed thickets. It can leaf out earlier in spring and retain its leaves later into autumn than many native plants, giving it a longer period to capture sunlight.

Underneath those thick canopies, native wildflowers, grasses and young trees can struggle because of the shade.

And removing the shrub is not always enough. Autumn olive can regenerate through suckers after being cut, making repeated control efforts necessary.

Its berries create another route of escape. Birds and mammals eat the fruit and can transport the seeds considerable distances, helping the shrub spread into new areas.

The invasive shrub has spread across much of the US

The scale of the problem is significant.

According to the Forest Inventory and Analysis Program of the US Forest Service, autumn olive was found on forest plots in 19 of 24 surveyed Midwestern and Northeastern states. During the 2014 forest inventory, it occurred on about 6.7% of surveyed forest plots, ranking sixth among the most prevalent invasive plants recorded in the region.

It was reported as particularly abundant in states including West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois.

Autumn olive tends to thrive in places where humans have disturbed the landscape: old fields, roadsides, open woods, reclaimed mine sites and other exposed areas. It generally does not do as well in dense forests or wetlands.

The National Park Service also lists grasslands, open fields, woodlands and disturbed areas among the habitats that autumn olive can invade.

It is edible — but that doesn't make it harmless

There is an interesting twist to the plant's story: autumn olive isn't simply a useless weed.

Its red fruits are edible and contain nutrients including lycopene, an antioxidant also found in tomatoes. The berries have been used to make products such as jams, sauces and juices, and researchers have investigated potential medicinal applications.

But those useful characteristics do little to offset the ecological problems caused by its uncontrolled spread.

From conservation tool to invasive species

Autumn olive's history is a reminder that an introduced plant can look like an environmental success story at first.

It grew quickly where other plants struggled. It helped stabilize damaged soil. It could improve nutrient-poor ground. Its berries fed wildlife.

But those same traits allowed it to establish itself far beyond the areas where it was intentionally planted.

Once established, its ability to change soil conditions, form dense thickets, spread through seeds and regenerate after cutting makes it difficult to eliminate.

Today, controlling autumn olive generally involves mechanical removal and, where appropriate, carefully managed herbicide treatments. The US Forest Service notes that eradication can be difficult because the shrub readily regenerates after being cut.

What began as an effort to repair damaged American landscapes ultimately helped introduce a plant capable of changing the ecosystems it entered — a cautionary example of how well-intentioned conservation decisions can have consequences that emerge only decades later.