Cold hardiness & minimum temperature

Is Russian Olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia)cold hardy? Hardiness zone & min temp

Also called Russian olive, Oleaster, Silver berry, Narrow-leaved oleaster.

More about russian olive

About Russian Olive

Elaeagnus angustifolia · also called Russian olive, Oleaster · flowering

Elaeagnus angustifolia is a deciduous, nitrogen-fixing small tree or large shrub native from western and central Asia to the Caucasus and southern Russia, widely naturalised and invasive across the arid western United States. It is supremely tough: drought-tolerant, wind-resistant, and capable of growing in saline and nutrient-poor soils. The most important care fact is that it is classified as a noxious weed in several US states, so check local regulations before planting. The ASPCA does not list it as toxic to pets.

Cold limit: USDA 2-7 · RHS H7 (-40 to 38°C)

What russian olive's hardiness rating actually means

Yes — russian olive is genuinely cold hardy. Rated RHS H7 and USDA 2-7, it lives outdoors all year and needs winter cold rather than protection from it. Its RHS rating of H7 means: Hardy in the severest European continental winters. On the US scale that maps to USDA 2-7 — the zones where it can be left outdoors year-round.

New to these scales? The USDA hardiness zone map explained covers how the zone numbers work, and you can find your own zone with the zone finder.

Minimum temperature — and what happens below it

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly below about −20 °C. Russian Olive is built for winter — once established it takes hard frost and snow in its stride.

Concretely, for russian olive as it gets too cold:

It tolerates winter lows to about −20 °C once established.
Below its rated zone, the visible damage is browned or blackened top growth and, in the worst case, a killed crown or root.
First-year, newly planted, or container-grown specimens are noticeably less hardy than established garden plants — the roots are exposed.

Can russian olive go outside or overwinter — and where?

Plant it out within USDA 2-7 and it overwinters with little or no help.
It does not want to come indoors — a warm winter room actually weakens a hardy plant by denying it dormancy.
The real risks in its range are waterlogging, wind-rock on young plants, and a late hard frost on new growth — not ordinary winter cold.

Work back from your local frost dates with the frost-date calculator: the last spring frost and first autumn frost are what really decide when russian olive can be outside. US growers can check USDA zones; UK growers should use the RHS hardiness ratings, which match the H7 figure above.

Russian Olive hardiness — frequently asked questions

Is russian olive cold hardy?

Yes — russian olive is genuinely cold hardy. Rated RHS H7 and USDA 2-7, it lives outdoors all year and needs winter cold rather than protection from it. An outdoor plant. Russian Olive is hardy across USDA 2-7; it belongs in the ground or a frost-proof container, not on a windowsill, and many types actively need a cold winter to perform.

What is the minimum temperature russian olive can survive?

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly below about −20 °C. Russian Olive is built for winter — once established it takes hard frost and snow in its stride.

What hardiness zone is russian olive?

Russian Olive is rated USDA 2-7 and RHS H7 — Hardy in the severest European continental winters.

Can russian olive survive winter outside?

Plant it out within USDA 2-7 and it overwinters with little or no help. It does not want to come indoors — a warm winter room actually weakens a hardy plant by denying it dormancy. The real risks in its range are waterlogging, wind-rock on young plants, and a late hard frost on new growth — not ordinary winter cold.

What happens to russian olive below its minimum temperature?

It tolerates winter lows to about −20 °C once established. Below its rated zone, the visible damage is browned or blackened top growth and, in the worst case, a killed crown or root. First-year, newly planted, or container-grown specimens are noticeably less hardy than established garden plants — the roots are exposed.