Portuguese Super Hero Autumn Olive is a nitrogen-fixing shrub selected in British Columbia for exceptional fruit production and flavor. Growing 15 feet tall and equally wide, this vigorous cultivar erupts in early summer with fragrant yellow-white flowers, followed by abundant small red fruits in early fall that are remarkably high in lycopene. Hardy in zones 3 through 8, it thrives in full sun and transforms into a workhorse plant that feeds both your table and your soil.
Full Sun
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3-8
180in H x ?in W
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High
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This British Columbia selection earned its superhero name honestly: it produces copious quantities of nutrient-dense fruit while simultaneously fixing nitrogen in the soil, eliminating the need for supplemental nitrogen fertilizers in its vicinity. The fruit ripens in early fall, packed with lycopene and versatile enough for jellies, syrups, and wine. Its vigorous growth and early summer fragrance make it ornamental and productive simultaneously, though gardeners should be aware it can spread aggressively in ideal conditions.
The fruit is primarily processed into preserves, syrups, and fermented beverages rather than eaten fresh, though its high lycopene content makes it particularly valued for its nutritional properties. Beyond culinary applications, the plant's nitrogen-fixing capability makes it invaluable in permaculture systems, food forests, and gardens where it can reduce dependence on synthetic fertilizers while providing food production.
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Plant in spring or fall when the shrub is dormant. Space plants 10 to 12 feet apart to accommodate mature width. Harden off nursery-grown plants over a week before transplanting. Dig a hole as deep as the root ball and twice as wide, backfill with native soil, and water thoroughly to settle the soil.
Harvest fruit in early fall when berries turn fully red and are soft to gentle pressure. The small fruits drop readily when ripe, making ground-harvesting feasible in some situations, or hand-harvest by gently stripping branches. Fruit continues ripening over several weeks, so multiple harvests are possible.
Prune after fruiting in late fall or early spring while the plant is dormant to shape growth and manage its vigorous spreading tendency. Remove crossing or dead branches, and thin the interior to improve air circulation. Because it can spread aggressively, regular pruning to contain its spread is advisable in smaller gardens, though this will reduce fruit production somewhat.
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“Portuguese Super Hero Autumn Olive originated from a selection program in British Columbia focused on identifying superior forms of Elaeagnus umbellata for northern gardens. The breeder specifically targeted plants with abundant, flavorful fruit production and reliable hardiness in cool climates, resulting in this cultivar that has become prized by gardeners seeking both productivity and ecological benefit through nitrogen fixation.”