S.W. Asia
Gilt Edge Silverberry is a cross between Elaeagnus macrophylla x Elaeagnus pungens.
"The Elaeagnus macrophylla is a stenoecious evergreen plant with nitrogen-fixing symbionts and its timing of fruit-ripening coincides with spring migration of many birds in southwestern Korea... [T]he Elaeagnus macrophylla supplies food resources for migratory birds, and the birds give the plant opportunities of new colonization. [T]his kind of interaction between the nitrogen-fixing plant and avian seed dispersers is applicable as a process of natural restoration in degraded coastal evergreen forests." [1]
"The leaf of Elaeagnus pungens (Family Elaeagnaceae) has been documented as an effective herb for the treatment of asthma and chronic bronchitis in traditional Chinese medicine." [2]
"he use of Elaeagnus has been known for a long time, in addition to fresh consumption, many species of Elaeagnus are widely used in Juice, herbal tea, wine, soup, sauce, dessert, candy, pudding, ice cream topping, fruit leather, jam and jelly." [2]
[1] Choi, C. Y., & Chae, H. Y. (2007). Effects of bird ingestion on seed dispersal and germination of the Elaeagnus macrophylla. Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science, 96(6), 633-638.
[2] Ge, Y., Liu, J., & Su, D. (2009). In vivo evaluation of the anti-asthmatic, antitussive and expectorant activities of extract and fractions from Elaeagnus pungens leaf. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 126(3), 538-542.
[3] Abdalla, T. E. (2019). Some Wild Elaeagnus Species: Overview, Description, Biochemistry, and Utilization. In Wild Fruits: Composition, Nutritional Value and Products (pp. 507-521). Springer, Cham.
