I need some help identifying the shrub below. This plant is located in southwest Michigan on land that was bulldozed two years ago to prepare a home site. Soil is compacted clay with areas of standing water around. Thank you in advance!
It's an eleagnus sp. Autumn olive and goumi are in this family.
At one time I think they planted them along roadsides for the birds but they don't
seem interested. They fix nitrogen. Some claim they are invasive. I planted four plants a
number of years ago and I have found a few volunteers. Mine were sweet scarlett goumi.
Don't take my word for it just yet, let some others weigh in, but it's got a strong resemblance to some of my autumn olive and goumi plants. They're still young, so I don't know if they'll branch like in your pic, but they look mighty similar.