This small tree from southern Europe through western Asia and central Asia once was somewhat commonly planted in the Chicago, Illinois area in the 1960's into the 1980's for its pretty silver-gray foliage. However, most trees would live about 15 to 20 years and then die from canker disease and/or Verticillium Wilt. Nurseries in the area discontinued growing it, and this happened across much of the humid eastern side of the country. It is native to dry regions and it does not thrive in humid regions. It is not a good quality tree anyway. We professional horticulturists considered it as a cheap, planted weed tree. I don't know of this Silverberry Russian-olive escaping cultivation in the Midwestern or Eastern US, though her shrubby sister, the Autumn-olive (Elaeagnus umbellata) from East Asia does that a lot and is a very invasive plant. During my last visit to Chicagoland, I saw just a few of this species still around, and I have seen a very few in southeast Pennsylvania. I am surprised to see any. There may be a few cheap mail order nurseries selling it. I'm sure it does much better out in the drier Western US where it probably is an invasive Eurasian plant.

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