Elaeagnus x ebbingei Quarter standard

Plant Elaeagnus x ebbingei (Ebbinge's Silverberry) between autumn and early spring, avoiding periods when the ground is frozen or waterlogged. Choose a position in full sun or partial shade with well-drained soil; this plant tolerates poor, dry, and sandy soils as well as exposed and coastal situations.

Dig a planting hole twice the width of the pot and the same depth as the root ball. Because this is a standard form, drive a sturdy stake into the bottom of the hole before planting, keeping it clear of the root ball. Position the plant so the top of the root ball is level with the surrounding soil, backfill with a mix of garden soil and compost, and firm gently.

Tie the stem to the stake using an adjustable tree tie, checking it each season to prevent rubbing. Water thoroughly after planting and keep the root ball moist through the first growing season. Apply a mulch of well-rotted organic matter around the base each spring, keeping it clear of the stem, and feed generously at the planting stage to encourage strong root establishment.

Trim to shape in late spring or early summer after the risk of frost has passed, avoiding the autumn flowering period. Once established, Elaeagnus x ebbingei is remarkably drought tolerant and needs little attention beyond an annual clip to maintain its tidy head.

Supplied as a quarter standard evergreen specimen, grown in a 15–20 litre pot. The clear stem carries a well-feathered head of approximately 40–60cm, giving an elegant lollipop form with immediate architectural presence.

As a mature plant, Elaeagnus x ebbingei grows vigorously and can eventually reach 3–4 metres in height and spread if left unclipped, though it is easily kept at anywhere between 1.2 and 2.5 metres with an annual trim. On a quarter standard stem it is ideally suited to entranceways, formal borders, large containers, and pairs of matched specimens flanking a doorway or path.

This quarter standard is supplied in its pot, carefully secured and protected for transport. Orders are dispatched within 3–5 working days of receipt, and you will receive a notification once your order is on its way.

We pack all plants by hand to ensure they arrive in the best possible condition. Larger or heavier specimens may be dispatched on a pallet or with a specialist plant courier. Delivery to the Scottish Highlands, islands, and other remote postcodes may take slightly longer — please contact us before ordering if you are unsure.

If your plant arrives damaged or in poor condition, please contact us within 48 hours with photographs and we will put it right.

The small creamy white flowers that appear in autumn are intensely fragrant and are a valuable late-season source of nectar and pollen for bees, hoverflies, and other pollinators at a time of year when few garden plants are in flower.

The dense, evergreen foliage provides year-round shelter and secure nesting sites for birds, and the combination of cover and late nectar makes this a genuinely useful plant for wildlife-friendly gardens. Its toughness in exposed and coastal situations also allows it to do this job where less resilient evergreens would struggle. Occasionally the flowers are followed by small orange-silver berries that can attract foraging birds in winter.