Laura South

Hi Anne.  Thanks for the conversation

Here's a PDF of the usda report on controlling Russian Olive:   https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5410126.pdf

Like most invasives, it chokes out native plants -- it is also extremely hard to remove once it's established.  It will resprout  from it's root after being cut down

Interestingly, it also seems to change the nutrient balance of streams that it grows near. Here's a 2021 study showing that Russian olive planted near streams is associated with increased invasive carp in the river.  (They hypothesize that it is the increased nitrogen in the run off from the trees that allow carp to replace fish that had been adapted to lower nutrient levels
 https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ecs2.3789

I would recommend that someone wanting to make their little spot of the world a better, healthier place, should find a native tree/shrub, or if that isn't workable, a nonnative that won't cause damage

I hope this helps -- I'm happy to chat more if you'd like

Laura

Skyler Weber wrote:For nitrogen fixers, the best pioneer would be Russian Olive (12 in required annual precipitation), but that is not sold online due to its invasiveness so you will have to gather seed.

Please don't plant invasive species.  There's a reason you can't buy Russian Olive -- because it is harmful to native ecosystems.  Find something that will become a healthy and helpful part of the ecosystem.  

Thank you!!!

Laura