Thorny Olive Care
Elaeagnus pungens
An evergreen, thorny and very hardy shrub; very tolerant of drought, heat and poor soils. It is generally used to form impassable hedges, and its small flowers that open in autumn are very fragrant.
Monthly care calendar
Timings are for a temperate Northern Hemisphere climate. In warmer areas tasks start earlier, in colder areas later; in the Southern Hemisphere shift them by six months.
- Pruning: While the plant is dormant, hard pruning can be done to renew hedges that have lost their shape or grown excessively.
- General care: The plant is in dormancy.
- Pruning: These are the final days for hard pruning.
- General care: It is getting ready to wake.
- Watering: Not needed. Spring rains are sufficient.
- Pruning: When active growth begins, a first shaping prune can be done to form a shaped hedge.
- General care: New shoots grow rapidly.
- Watering: Young saplings can be watered during drought; not needed for mature shrubs.
- Pruning: Continue pruning to maintain the hedge form.
- General care: Rapid growth period.
- Pruning: Continue pruning.
- General care: Because it grows very fast, regular trimming may be needed.
- Watering: In a long drought, water deeply once a month.
- Pruning: Do shaping and hedge pruning.
- General care: Its tolerance of drought and heat is at its peak.
- Watering: In midsummer, deep watering every 15-20 days is enough. Established plants (over 2 years old) do not need watering in most years. Water the area around the roots to a depth of 15-20 cm.
- Pruning: Continue pruning.
- Watering: In midsummer, deep watering every 15-20 days is enough. Established plants (over 2 years old) do not need watering in most years. Water the area around the roots to a depth of 15-20 cm.
- Pruning: Stop pruning from the end of the month onward to allow flowering.
- General care: The plant begins forming buds for autumn flowering.
- Watering: In a long drought, water deeply once a month.
- Pruning: Do the last formative pruning of the season; do not let it put out new shoots before frost.
- General care: Enjoy the flower fragrance; preparations can be made for planting new seedlings.
- Watering: Not needed; the rains begin.
- Pruning: After flowering ends, a light cleanup pruning can be done.
- General care: This is the best month for planting. Flowering continues.
- General care: Tree and shrub planting can continue; plants enter winter dormancy.
- Pruning: If hard pruning is not needed, do not touch it.
- General care: Evergreen leaves continue to lose water in winter. Water thoroughly once before the soil freezes.
The care advice on this page is general and for information only; it is not professional advice. Plant age, soil and your garden’s microclimate can change the outcome. Plant protection products are mentioned only as general information; they are regulated, and the choice, dose and timing must be decided by a qualified professional under local rules. Consult a landscape architect or agronomist before applying.
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