THE RECENT SPREAD OF AUTUMN-OLIVE, ELAEAGAUS-UMBELLATA, INTO SOUTHERNONTARIO AND ITS CURRENT STATUS

Autumn-olive (Elaeagnus umbellata Thunb.) was extensively planted duri ng the 1960s and 1970s to provide food and cover for wildlife, and has several other uses including reclamation, erosion control and interpl anting in agroforestry. It has been discovered growing outside of cult ivation throughout much of southern Ontario over the past 10 years. It has increased rapidly in parts of southern Ontario and the United Sta tes and is currently a competitive pest in some areas, hindering colon ization of native species and competing with native vegetation. Autumn -olive is primarily a problem in open habitats on dry sandy soils. It has the potential to degrade native plant communities of natural sandy openings which contain significant native biodiversity.