Harvesting autumn olive "berries" from wild invasive trees in the fall

🌿 Autumn Olive – Invasive, Nutritious, and Surprisingly Delicious

Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata)—also known as Japanese Silverberry—is one of those plants that walks the line between a nuisance and a hidden gem. It's highly invasive, spreading rapidly due to birds loving its fruit. Yet, it also produces berries that are incredibly nutritious and versatile in the kitchen.

These berries ripen in the fall (usually around September to October) and are frost-hardy. In fact, a touch of frost brings out their best flavor—tangy, slightly sweet, and reminiscent of cranberries or pomegranates.

What really sets these berries apart is their lycopene content. They contain 18 times more lycopene than tomatoes, making them a powerful antioxidant source. You can use them to make jam, ketchup, fruit leather, and more.

🌱 A Few Tips for Using Autumn Olive Berries:

• If you're making fruit leather, you can leave the seeds in—they add a slight crunch and are high in omega-3s adding anti-inflammatory benefits.

• For other recipes like jams or sauces, use a food mill to remove the seeds.

• The seeds can also be roasted for a tasty, nutritious snack.

⚠️ Why You Should Remove Autumn Olive from Your Yard

Despite their usefulness, Autumn Olive plants are not native and are aggressively invasive. If left unchecked, they will crowd out native plants and take over large areas. If you see one in your yard it's best to remove it

In fact, eating them is one of the best ways to slow their spread!

Every fall, I visit a sunny spot at the edge of the woods in a local park here in Connecticut to harvest as many as I can. It’s a great way to connect with nature, reduce invasive species, and stock up on nutritious berries.

Check out this video to learn more about autumn olive 
https://youtu.be/eRqHA_w4Q54

If you’re local to Connecticut, I invite you to join me for a foraging walk where we’ll harvest Autumn Olive and other invasive plants—plus see what mushrooms we can find!

📅 Visit eventbrite for info on my upcoming forage walk https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1647950788169?aff=oddtdtcreator
📬 Questions? Email me: erik@chiforhealing.com