Olive Martini Silverberry

There are many different broad-leaf evergreens, but the Silverberry stands out for its unique combination of leathery, silver-green leaves and dense, shrubby growth. It takes to clipping like a fish to water, and most experts agree it is better for it – otherwise the growth can be wild and tangled. For hedges and screens nothing beats it for sturdy growth, and it is tougher in salt from roads or the ocean than just about anything else. It’s ideal for windbreaks and barriers, creating a pool of calm shelter behind it, where you can grow more delicate plants. For an extra twist in your seaside cocktail, toss in some gold, with the Olive Martini™ Silverberry. This great hybrid plant has plenty of vigor, and sturdy upright growth, but the big draw is the bold gold edging around the dark olive-green leaves, which start the season brilliant silver, mixing precious metals to create the perfect bush for those tough locations.

Growing the Olive Martini™ Silverberry

Size and Appearance

The Olive Martini™ Silverberry is a dense, multi-stemmed evergreen shrub that grows quickly to be 10 to 15 feet tall and wide, if untrimmed. It can be grown as a bush, or trimmed up into an interesting small tree for exposed places. The dark brown bark is slightly textured, and the young stems are pale olive-brown, with a fuzzy surface. The young leaves have a silvery sheen, making a sparking introduction, then turning to an attractive deep olive green. The broad oval leaves are tough with a slightly crinkled look, and between 2 and 4 inches long. What makes them very different is the striking irregular golden-yellow edge, giving a great look to this bush. Anytime between October and January it delivers a pleasant surprise, in the form of unexpected clusters of white flowers along the stems. These are small, just ½ inch long and wide, like tiny white fuchsia flowers, but covered in silvery scales, with a strong and delicious fragrance. By spring these will have turned into clusters of small orange berries.

Using the Olive Martini™ Silverberry in Your Garden

This great shrub is tough enough for the toughest locations, such as making a shelter belt between the ocean and your beach cottage. It is great as a barrier along roads, and in exposed locations, with excellent resistance to wind, salt-spray, and storms. It is beautiful enough, though, to be grown in any garden as a hedge or screen, at the back of shrub beds, to fill the corners of your yard or hide an ugly view. Plant 5 feet apart for hedges and 8 feet apart for screens or groupings.

Hardiness

The Olive Martini Silverberry grows well from zones 6 to 9, with good resistance to heat, humidity and drought.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

Grow the Olive Martini Silverberry in full sun – it loves it. It grows easily and well in all kinds of soil, from moist to dry, but not in wet, waterlogged ground. Once established it has good drought tolerance, and it is also very resistant to salt spray from roads or oceans.

Maintenance and Pruning

Pests or diseases are very unlikely to be found on this tough bush. It can be trimmed as required, or left to grow into its rugged natural form. Trimming can be done anytime from spring to fall, and you can keep it as neat and dense as you want. Allow the new growth to mature in spring before starting to trim, or trim in fall.

History and Origin of the Olive Martini™ Silverberry

Elaeagnus macrophylla is one of several related plants called silverberry or oleaster. It grows in Korea and Japan and it was brought to England in 1879 by the nursery Messrs Veitch. In 1929 Simeon Gottfried Albert Doorenbos, the director of The Hague Parks Department in the Netherlands grew six seedlings from a cross he made between Elaeagnus macrophylla and Elaeagnus pungens. Two seedlings were propagated and became Ebbing’s Silverberry, Elaeagnus x ebbengii. It is not clear who or what Ebbing was. Since then there have been several variegated forms discovered, and the variety called ‘Viveleg’ was found around 2002 by Christian Vivies at his nursery, Pepinieres Vivies, in Toulouse, France. It was growing among plants of the normal Ebbing’s Silverberry. He patented it in 2009, and it is distributed in America under the Southern Living® Plant Collection with the trademarked name of Olive Martini™.

Buying the Olive Martini™ Silverberry at the Tree Center

For a combination of toughness and rugged beauty, you can’t beat the Olive Martini Silverberry. Its bold gold edging gives it a great lift, and if you want reliable and salt-resistant you can’t do better. Order now, because the high demand for this reliable plant means it never stays in stock long – don’t miss out.