The silverberry (Elaeagnus Pungens) is an evergreen shrub of the Oleaster family (Elaeagnaceae). It features all the familiar characteristics of the Mediterranean flora — it is a low-maintenance plant, with low tolerance for shade and high tolerance for drought.
Like many other Mediterranean plants, it is often underrated because it is not very impressive at first sight.
But in late autumn, it becomes quite noticeable in the air through the heady aroma exuded by its tiny silver-cream flowers.
Throughout the year, the leaves of the silverberry enrich the green of the park with gray and silver hues. In addition to their bright shades, the leaves are spotted with white flecks — their big, visible pores.
The panaché variety features two-colored foliage, adding a yellow tone to the landscape. In the northwestern part of Stavros Niarchos Park, we come across rich cultivations of the shrub, both in its common and its panaché version.
In addition to its particular aesthetic value, the silverberry is also functionally beneficial to any site, as it boasts multiple uses in landscape architecture and enriches the local ecosystem. Its foliage provides shelter, visual cover and protection from strong winds to many of the Park's animals. The silverberry's flowers grow into oval-shaped juicy edible fruits. These fruits constitute a staple food for wildlife, both birds and small mammals.
Currently, the silverberry is cultivated in many varieties across the globe, either as a native or as a non-native plant. For example, silverberry is quite common in the southern parts of Alaska and Yukon, and its seeds are used in the arts and crafts of native American communities as beads in jewelry making.
