Olive Martini™ Elaeagnus

Elaeagnus × ebbingii 'Viveleg' 

Elaeagnus x ebbingei ‘Olive Martini’™ July 2019 in Davis, CA. Photo: SK Reid.

Summary

Olive Martini™ is an evergreen shrub with shimmery grey-green leaves edged with creamy yellow. This cultivar possesses metallic scales on the leaf typical of other cultivars. In late winter/early spring, the new growth on this plant emerged with a matte finish, giving the plant a dull metallic hue for roughly a week before developing the leaf coloration described above. The handsome, uniform shape, contributed to consistently high foliage quality and overall appearance ratings of this plant in both locations, making it a standout.  Participants mentioned this cultivar was “more interesting than other Elaeagnus in commercial landscaping.” Plants from at least one treatment were given high enough overall appearance ratings to earn a place in the top 3 ranked plants at the summer and fall open houses at both sites.

At UC Davis, the high treatment displayed significantly greater relative plant growth than the low treatment over the treatment period (Figure 3b). On a month by month basis, significant differences started occurring in August and continued to October. In October there was also significantly greater relative plant growth index on the moderate compared to low treatment. In Irvine researchers observed significant differences in the relative plant growth index only between the high and low treatments when looking over the entire treatment period, though not on a month by month basis (Figure 3d). No differences in the quality ratings were observed between treatments at either site, suggesting that growth may be controlled on low water resulting in a reduced pruning need without compromising plant health. Based on the data collected, we recommend Olive Martini™ be irrigated on low water in WUCOLS zones 2 and 3.

Growth and Quality Data

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Elaeagnus x ebbingei ‘Olive Martini’™ in Sept 2019 showing new foliage without edge variegation characteristic of this cultivar. Photo: SK Reid.