Elaeagnus gonyanthes

Benth.

Reyanglai

Elaeagnaceae Edible: Fruit, Seeds 12 iNaturalist observations

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Summary

Evergreen shrub reaching 4m with medium growth. Year-round foliage and flowering from September to December; seeds ripen April to June. Hermaphroditic and bee-pollinated. Fixes nitrogen. Tolerates light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils with good drainage and poor soil nutrition. Grows in mildly acidic, neutral, and basic soils. Requires full sun exposure. Drought-tolerant and maritime-hardy.

Description

An evergreen shrub. It grows 4 m tall. It can be climbing. The branches are slender and do not have spines. The leaves are 5-9 cm long by 2-5 cm wide. The flowers are white and occur singly. The fruit is yellowish red and broadly oval. They are 2 cm wide.

Edible Uses

The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked and grows up to 22mm long, turning yellowish-red when fully ripe. It must be fully ripe before it can be enjoyed raw — if even slightly under-ripe it will be quite astringent. The fruit contains a single large seed, which can also be eaten raw or cooked, though the seed case is rather fibrous.

Traditional Uses

The fruit are eaten raw or mixed with seasoning.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

The fruit is a very rich source of vitamins and minerals, particularly vitamins A, C and E, flavanoids and other bio-active compounds. It also provides a fairly good supply of essential fatty acids, which is unusual for a fruit. It is being investigated for its potential to reduce the incidence of cancer and to halt or reverse cancer growth.

Distribution

In Yunnan in China it grows between 1400-1600 m above sea level. It grows in subtropical broadleaved evergreen forest.

Where It Grows

Asia, China, Indochina,

Cultivation

We have very little information on this species and do not know how hardy it will be in this country. We are not even sure if it is evergreen or deciduous. The following details are based on the general information for this genus. Succeeds in most soils that are well-drained. Prefers a soil that is only moderately fertile, succeeding in poor soils and dry soils. Requires a sunny position (but if it is an evergreen it should be shade tolerant). Tolerates maritime exposure. This species is notably resistant to honey fungus. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby. An excellent companion plant, when grown in orchards it can increase yields from the fruit trees by up to 10%.

Propagation

Seed is best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. It should germinate in late winter or early spring, though it may take 18 months. Stored seed can be very slow to germinate, often taking more than 18 months; a warm stratification for 4 weeks followed by 12 weeks of cold stratification can help. Prick out seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and plant out when at least 15cm tall. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 7–10cm with a heel, taken in July/August in a frame. Cuttings of mature wood from the current year's growth, 10–12cm with a heel, taken in October/November in a frame — the cuttings are rather slow and difficult to root, so leave them for 12 months. Layering in September/October takes 12 months.

Other Uses

No other uses are known. The plant is a nitrogen fixer.

Production

In China plants flower in October to November and fruit in February to March.

Notes

There are 45 Elaeagnus species.

Nutrition

Part	Moisture	kJ	kcal	Protein	Vit A	Vit C	Iron	Zinc
Fruit	87.5	—	—	—	—	7.2	—	—

Also Known As

Lai ngoht

References (3)

Jin, Chen et al, 1999, Ethnobotanical studies on Wild Edible Fruits in Southern Yunnan: Folk Names: Nutritional Value and Uses. Economic Botany 53(1) pp 2-14
Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/
Reis, S. V. and Lipp, F. L., 1982, New Plant Sources for Drugs and Foods from the New York Botanical Garden herbarium. Harvard. p 203