Spiny Oleaster

Native to Japan.

An attractive, evergreen, densely leaved shrub up to 7 m tall, with spreading branches and short thick spines. It often produces long shoots with shortened, densely packed lateral branchlets directed sharply downwards, by means of which it can cling to other plants and objects, climbing up to 10 m and thus becoming a climbing shrub. Young shoots are covered with brown scales. Leaves are oblong-elliptic, up to 10 cm long, glossy dark green above and silvery-brown beneath. Leaf margins are wavy, often curled; petioles are brown. Flowers are small, 1–3 in clusters, pendulous, silvery-white outside and golden inside, very fragrant. Fruit — a juicy, edible drupe up to 1.5 cm long; unripe greenish-light-brown and reddish when ripe. During the fruiting period the fruits look striking against the silvery foliage, giving the plant a fairy-like appearance.

In the first years it grows slowly, fairly shade-tolerant, undemanding as to soil, and drought-resistant. Mature plants tolerate temperature drops down to −18°C without damage. Withstands urban conditions well and is easy to shape. Propagated by seeds and cuttings.

A valuable shrub for landscape gardening in the extreme south of Russia. Good for hedges and for special spherical shaping. As a climbing shrub it is suitable for decorating fences, walls, etc. In cultivation since 1830.

Has several ornamental forms: Фредерика (f. Frederisi) — leaves with a yellow center and green margins; spotted (f. maculata) — see photo, leaves with a large yellow spot in the middle; Симона (f. Simonii) — with leaves larger than those of the typical form, with numerous brown scales on the underside; tricolor (f. tricolor) — leaves with large spots of yellowish-white and pink; reflexed (f. reflexa) — with elongated flexible branches and ovate-lanceolate, pointed leaves, glossy above and rusty beneath; variegated (f. variegata) — leaves edged with a yellow-white stripe; golden (f. aurea) — leaves edged with a dark-yellow stripe.

Based on materials from: www.flower.onego.ru