Silverthorn, Thorny Olive, Thorny Elaeagnus, Pungent Elaeagnus 'Clemson Variegated'

I found my Eleagnus pungens "Clemson Variegated" at a nursery in the middle of Oakland California. This plant is supposed to be good for ...Read Moreclay soil and cityscapes. It has been planted for close to a year and has done well in my alkaline soil ... but no flowers yet. I have heard that it will set goumie berries, but in descriptions the emphasis is always on the flowers and their sweet scent. If they do not, the foliage and the flowers are enough.

I’ve had these plants in my front yard landscape for 12 years. They were sheared for years then allowed to grow into a thick hedge. Las...Read Moret spring I cut them back within inches of the ground and they came back beautifully over the summer. Then in the fall they were removed for foundation repair and replaced, and seemed fine until some late-winter freezes occurred. I was hoping they would come back after the last frost of the season but alas they never did. I replaced them and am looking forward to another 12 years with these wonderful resilient shrubs.

This is a much more desirable plant than similar looking variegated selections of Privet(Ligustrum) or Euonymous. It is generally evergre...Read Moreen, but mine lost its leaves after a very harsh winter. It is slow relatively slow growing and can be shaped or left to grow to a small tree. It has wonderfully fragrant flowers. After last winter, I believe it is very hardy. Although mine did suffer leaf burn and eventual loss of leaves, absolutely no bud or stem damage occurred. I should think this is one that should be tried in milder areas of zone 5. Many plants that are rated hardier thin this one suffered damage that it did not. I highly recommend this cultivar.
Edited to question why is this called "Thorny Eleagnus"? Unless they develop thorns many years down the road, it makes no sense.