Elaeagnus x ebbingei
A reasonable size, it is about 20mm long and 13mm wide although it does have a large seed.
The fully ripe fruit has a very rich flavour and makes pleasant tasting with a slight acidity. The fruit should be deep red in colour and very soft when it is fully ripe, otherwise it will be astringent. The flavour improves further if the fruit is stored for a day or two after being picked.
The fruit ripens intermittently over a period of about 6 weeks from early to mid April until May.
The seed is used raw or cooked. It can be eaten with the fruit though the seed case is rather fibrous. The taste is vaguely like peanuts.
Plants can be grown as a hedge in very exposed positions, tolerating maritime exposure.
The plants provide a very good protection from the wind, they are very resistant to damage by salt winds and are also tolerant of regular trimming. They have a strong vigorous growth.
Because they fix atmospheric nitrogen, they make good companion plants and improve the growth of neighbouring species.
They can be planted in the line of an old shelterbelt of trees that is becoming bare at the base and will in time fill up the empty spaces and climb into the bottom parts of the trees.
This is an evergreen shrub.