(Silverthorn, Thorny Olive)

Thorny olive is a large evergreen shrub to small tree native to China and Japan where it exists along open slopes and thickets near the oceanside or waterways. It has also become naturalized in the southeastern United States where it is considered a problematic invasive shrub. It is fast-growing, tough and grows well in difficult areas but has a coarse, informal look that is visually unappealing.

The oblong to elliptical leaves of thorny olive are dark green on the top and silver-gray on the...

(Fruitland Silverberry, Silverberry, Thorny Olive)

The unique thorny olive,'Fruitlandii', is distinguished by its larger, more rounded and wavy-edged foliage. It is also said to have a more uniform habit than ungainly wild forms.

Thorny olive is a large evergreen shrub to small tree native to China and Japan where it exists along open slopes and thickets near the Oceanside or waterways. It has also become naturalized in the southeastern United States where it is considered a problematic invasive shrub. It is fast-growing, tough and grows well...

(Thorny Olive)

This more compact form of thorny olive has a pleasing rounded to umbrella-shaped habit, unlike ungainly wild forms. 'Glen St. Mary' is also a fast-grower that boasts fewer thorns than uncultivated types.

Thorny olive is a large evergreen shrub to small tree native to China and Japan where it exists along open slopes and thickets near the Oceanside or waterways. It has also become naturalized in the southeastern United States where it is considered a problematic invasive shrub. It is fast-growing,...

(Thorny Olive)

Thorny olive is a large evergreen shrub to small tree native to China and Japan where it exists along open slopes and thickets near the oceanside or waterways. It has also become naturalized in the southeastern United States where it is considered a problematic invasive shrub. It is fast-growing, tough and grows well in difficult areas but has a coarse, informal look that is visually unappealing.

The oblong to elliptical leaves of thorny olive are dark green on the top and silver-gray on the...

(Thorny Olive)

This large-leaved form of thorny olive has beautiful leaves marked with yellow central blotches. Reportedly, plants have a tendency to revert and maintain unvariegated leaves of yellow-green. Though still fast-growing, fully variegated forms tend to grow a bit slower than wild-type.

Thorny olive is a large evergreen shrub to small tree native to China and Japan where it exists along open slopes and thickets near the Oceanside or waterways. It has also become naturalized in the southeastern...

(Silverberry, Thorny Olive, Variegated Thorny Olive)

Thorny olive is a large evergreen shrub to small tree native to China and Japan where it exists along open slopes and thickets near the oceanside or waterways. It has also become naturalized in the southeastern United States where it is considered a problematic invasive shrub. It is fast-growing, tough and grows well in difficult areas but has a coarse, informal look that is visually unappealing.

The oblong to elliptical leaves of thorny olive are dark green on the top and silver-gray on the...

(Brittlebush)

The sunny daisy-flowers of brittlebush are a familiar sight in the deserts of the Southwest United States and northern Mexico. The rounded, aromatic plants bear long-stemmed clusters of bright yellow blooms in spring, and sometimes again in fall or winter. The fuzzy, silver-gray, oval to lance-shaped leaves occur mostly toward the tips of the branches. Plants drop their leaves during severe drought, refoliating when rain returns.

This plant thrives in sun and well drained soils, and is remarkably...

(Large Ephedra)

(Horsetail)

This ancient plant is flowerless and spreads by rhizomes. Commonly called horsetail, it is a hardy evergreen perennial that consists of fine, hollow, green stems divided by black-rimmed joints. It has a broad natural distribution and can be found growing in temperate regions throughout North America and Eurasia.

Horsetail prefers moist to wet organic-rich soil and will tolerate full sun to partial sun. It can become invasive if not properly contained or maintained and looks best in naturalistic...

(Dwarf Horsetail, Dwarf Scouringrush)

Dwarf horsetail is a fast growing evergreen perennial native to North America, Europe and eastern Asia. It is grown for its short green rushlike hollow stems with black bands. Rather than flowers, in late summer and autumn, a small light brown reproductive structure (called a strobilus) appears on each stem tip.

Dwarf horsetail loves moisture and is often seen in impressive colonies in bogs, low, wet soils or in shallow water such as lake or streamside. As it is an indefinite spreading plant thicket,...