''Elaeagnus latifolia'', known as the bastard oleaster, or soh-sang, is a species of ''

Elaeagnus ''Elaeagnus'' , silverberry or oleaster, is a genus of about 50–70 species of flowering plants in the family Elaeagnaceae. Description ''Elaeagnus'' plants are deciduous or evergreen shrubs or small trees. The alternate leaves and the shoot ...

'' native to

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

and

Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, south-eastern region of Asia, consistin ...

Description

''Elaeagnus latifolia'' is an evergreen shrub that can grow up to ten feet tall. It has alternate pinnately compound leaves. The plant gives off a bright red and speckled berry around the size of a grape or ~0.75 cm in diameter. The ripe fruit is pulpy with a sweet and slightly sour taste.

Ecology

''E. latifolia'' is widely distributed from Southeastern Asia to the slopes of the

Himalayas The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 100 ...

. They inhabit dense swamps at about 1,500 feet above sea level in the Himalayas as well as dwelling in vast forest openings in

Nepal Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne, सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mai ...

. It is suitable for growing in moist soil with any pH value and can also adapt to growing in regions where the soil is dry. Since ''E. latifolia'' can thrive in both moist and dry conditions, it can tolerate the most intense droughts. ''E. latifolia'' shares a symbiotic relationship with soil-dwelling bacteria that perform nitrogen fixation. The fruit is considered "unusual" because the fruit contains several "good" fatty acids, and was investigated for possible use against

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...

.Patel, Ramkishor. (2008)
SOH-SHANG (ELAEAGNUS LATIFOLIA): AN UNDER-UTILIZED FRUIT OF NORTH EAST REGION NEEDS DOMESTICATION.
ENVIS Bulletin : Himalayan Ecology. 16. 1-2.

Cultivation

The cultivation of ''Elaeagnus latifolia'' is mostly done in well drained soils. ''E. latifolia'' prefers soil that is moderately fertile which causes it to succeed in poor soils and dry soils. ''E. latifolia'' requires to grow in a position where there is plenty of sunlight. Outside of the native regions, ''E. latifolia'' is also cultivated in

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

, however it is unlikely to succeed outdoors in the milder areas of the country. ''E. latifolia'' is known to be resistant to

honey fungus ''Armillaria'' is a genus of fungi that includes the '' A. mellea'' species known as honey fungi that live on trees and woody shrubs. It includes about 10 species formerly categorized summarily as ''A. mellea''. ''Armillarias'' are long-l ...

, and it can also grow with orchards which increases yield from the fruit trees.

References

{{taxonbar, from=Q10801011 latifolia Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Plants described in 1753 Flora of India (region) Flora of Southeast Asia