AY Honors/Edible Wild Plants/Autumn Olive

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EWP | name = Autumn Olive | image = Image-Cardinal Elaeagnus umbellata 1987.jpg | description = Autumn olive is a small tree (or large shrub), growing 4-10 meters tall. The leaves are lanceolate, shiny green on the top with a silvery, powdery underside. The berries are about 6-7mm in diameter, bright red with speckles on them, growing in groups. They are very sweet. | range = Native to eastern Asia from the Himalayas east to Japan. It was introduced to North America where it has become an invasive species. | seasons = Fall | use = When ripe, the fruit is juicy and edible. It can be eaten fresh or made into a jam. The fruit is small, extremely numerous, tart-tasting, and it has a chewable seed. It has been shown to have from 7 to 17 times the amount of the antioxidant lycopene that tomatoes have. Lycopene has been consistently shown to be useful in decreasing the risk of prostate cancer.

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