Hello can anyone identify this shrub for me?

Those pictures - albeit slight out of focus - remind me of Elaeagnus sp.

Can you take some additional images, with clearer closeups? Take shots of the stems, leaves, flowers, trunks, etc.

The Elaeagnus clan will have shiny structural scales on all plant parts, which is quite distinctive and can be a separating ID feature. It tends to form groups of three tubular flowers.

Try Elaeagnus pungens for starters...

Yes let me try to get better pictures. If it is Elaeagnus, is it invasive? I was thinking Ligustrum and I found out through my research that is highly invasive. I don't want that bush to stay in my garden if it is invasive.

Both Elaeagnus AND Ligustrum sp. are likely invasive exotics for you in SC.

Elaeagnus sp. will be alternate in their leaf arrangement; Ligustrum sp. will be opposite. All the Privet clan usually produce more of a long terminal panicle of flowers, which then set up as purplish/blue/black small fruit. I think most of the Elaeagnus sp. flower in clusters like you show above, and the fruit ends up reddish.

Since it appears to have plenty of twigs and branches, whack off a chunk and bring it into good light with a neutral background for its closeups. You should be able to get good clear images that way.

My Elaeagnus has a different growth pattern. The leaves form singly (and alternately) along the branches while the plant in question seems to make leaf clusters which remind me of Chittamwood (Bumelia). Does the shrub have thorn-like twig ends?

Here is another species, Elaeagnus multiflora, that resembles the flowering that your plant displays.

Sorry for the delayed response. These 12 hour shifts are a killer. I have updated photo's. Thank you all for helping identify this shrub.

Second photo:



And to answer the one question, yes it does have thorn's.

Looks like my Eleagnus umbellata.

I believe you are right Silversurfer. I have read numerous articles were this species of plants are invasive, yet I have also read numerous articles were bees love these plants. So my conundrum is do I destroy it or keep it contained. Any suggestions?

Plantsmakemecrazy said: I believe you are right Silversurfer. I have read numerous articles were this species of plants are invasive, yet I have also read numerous articles were bees love these plants. So my conundrum is do I destroy it or keep it contained. Any suggestions?

A plant may be invasive in one area and not the next, varies from one area of the country to the next. Research for your specific area. Also depends on what your definition of 'invasive' is when people use that term. I planted a black eyed susan here that is native to my area-most people don't consider natives to be invasive. Well it threw out seeds all over the place and I spent several years pulling the seedlings up and about never got rid of it. As far as I'm concerned it was invasive and I rarely plant natives now because the very essence of their survival in a natural environment is to be prolific.

An unhappy or inadvertent experience with a native plant is not reason to cloud the issue of invasiveness. It may not please everyone to read disagreement here, but this is important and should not be confusing to anyone.

If a Black-eyed Susan prevented the growth of other plants in its environment by some physical change it wrought by the way it grows (chemical release, abnormal usurpation of minerals upsetting soil nutrient balance, etc.) then one would be welcome to call it invasive. That is the meaning of the word. Using it differently doesn't change that. Black-eyed Susan does NOT do that in its native environment.

Any plant that seeds itself around prolifically may be termed aggressive, weedy, and maybe even $@#&%@#$&@!!!! If it just annoys the gardener because there are a bunch of them, but does not in and of itself prevent the growth of plants around it, it is not and cannot properly be termed invasive. With some research, one will find that Black-eyed Susan and similar prolific seeders are generally pioneer species in their natural systems. They occupy disturbed areas quickly, but pass on during succession giving way to other species as a plant community advances toward a stable climax community. Disturb the area again, and they will be right back - starting the cycle again.

Many landscapes (gardens) that humans create are the epitome of disturbance, and pioneer species thrive there. Know thy plants, and ease your gardening efforts. I suspect terrestrial orchids, Viburnum molle, Malus ioensis, and Quercus acerifolia will never become pestiferous despite one's best efforts - though they all can produce copious seed.

One can make up many names for it, just because one wants to. It will still be a Black-eyed Susan. And for one, I'm sorry that anyone has chosen to refuse to grow native plants. Local fauna is the lesser for it.

If one is gardening in South Carolina and interested in supporting a healthy and diverse native bee population, do a little research on what plants the local bee populations evolved with. I think you will find an amazing array of native and introduced species that are not invasive with which to populate your garden and landscape. The number, quality, and array of pollinators will skyrocket. Doing a little more to provide homes/habitat, and those same pollinators will become permanent residents.

There's plenty of online information, both for learning about native species and understanding invasive exotic species. If you like holding a book in your hand, you could do worse than pick up one of several authored by Doug Tallamy. A website that speaks directly to those interested in bees is sponsored by a company called Osmia, which is also a genus of bees. Read about BOB, the Blue Orchard Bee. They sponsored a great series of webinars over the last year or two, and provide excellent educational opportunities for those who wish to support native pollinators.

Reduce and exclude systemic insecticides and mistimed applications, and you'll do most good for beneficial insects.

Kind of got off topic! But the wine (Carmenere) and olives (Moroccan) were nice...

I grow plants that behave themselves in my garden, like daylilies, iris and peony or hosta. I don't enjoy pulling thousands of seedlings out of the driveway, sidewalks and my pathways or anywhere else

If you will read what I wrote, I very well did say, that the plant was a native and not considered invasive in that respect. As far as I'm concerned *my* definition of invasive as it pertains to MY garden is pulling out piles of unwanted seedlings or plants. That becomes nothing more than an undesirable weed to me.

There are plenty of plants which prevent growth of plants around them due to release of substance that prevents germination or growth of other plants- and they are native to some region somewhere and not invasive in that environment-only doing what they do.

There are many plants which are not native in any way to even the united states let alone any state, and yet they are not invasive. You don't have to plant natives to benefit wildlife, bees, birds or otherwise.

Telling someone a plant is 'invasive' in it's correct usage without considering the geographical area or growing conditions, can be misleading. He or she simply needs to find out if the plant they desire to grow is invasive in their area, and further, if it behaves in a way that they will consider invasive in their garden. Whatever a plant's habits, whether native or not, if you don't like those habits, you don't want to plant it and have it become a problem.

Plant ID app:
Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata)
Also called Japanese silverberry, spreading oleaster
It is considered invasive in North America. Good for erosion control
but outcompetes local plants.
It does attract many birds.

I encourage goumi... but the thorny eleagnus? Very bad news here...
They are excellent when growing next to a fence... If they would stay there...
They have silvery leaves that are amazing, waving the the breeze...

And... they climb trees...And spread and spread through the woodland making passage impossible... all those thorns!

If it was possible to grow without taking over the entire county... it has positive attributes... Like fixing nitrogen in the soil... unfortunately... this one has an overall negative affect on the ecology here in the Southeast...