(Eleagnus multiflora)
The most compact, desirable and hard-to-find member of the nitrogen-fixing eleagnus family. Goumi bushes (also known as Gumi or cherry silverberry) are usually only 3m (6') high and wide at maturity. The slender leaves are dark green on the upper side and silvery below which creates a shimmering effect when a light breeze stirs the foliage. In late spring the bush is covered in a fragrant haze of small yellow flowers followed by a glossy, cherry-red fruits flecked with silver. They contain a single hard seed and have a sprightly, refreshing flavour.
Although Goumi plants are not easy to propagate, they make a hardy, trouble-free shrub that works well as an understory plant in permaculture settings or as a fruiting hedge. The following cultivars were selected at the Main Botanic Garden in Kiev, Ukraine.