Fertilizing it would likely result in lankier growth. Russian olives prefer full sun, so the best thing you could do for the plant is to transplant it to a sunnier location or clear away some of whatever is shading it.

BTW, Elaeagnus angustifolia is considered an invasive species (destructive to the environment) in your area (as well as a good part of the US), so you might consider complete removal of the plant.

Brandon7: Thank you very much. I did not know that.

Here is a link that you might find helpful in identifying invasives for a USA location. Scroll down and click on your state.

Here is a link that might be useful: USA invasives

Thank you both. I will NOT fertilize the Russian olive. I would take it out if it were not so large and established. However, as it shows no signs of spreading (invading) other areas I will just let it be. ..wdc

The russian olive makes tasty berries and the birds will spread it around.

Sorry I got so worked up I forgot to answer your question. I always trim the Russian olive to look like a tree by cutting off the lower branches and thinning out inward growing upper branches. When you do that it puts more energy into the remaining upper branches and will grow taller and transform itself from a bush into a tree. They do like miracle grow and extra water. If you have alkaline soil use some miracid occasionally. At this point your tree will have a good root system and should respond well to any tlc you give it. Finding information on propagating them seems impossible because so many states are putting them on their "hit list" but because the seeds are spread so readily by the birds they are easy to find as seedlings and people want to get rid of them.

Genrator 00: Thanks so much for your pruning tips on my Russian olive. I will try them.

I too was surprised to see Russian olive's "outlaw" classification. I know it is still used widely on the eastern tip of Long Island (Montaulk, etc.)

Russian Olives are tolerant of saline (salty) soils and that alone keeps them from spreading like wildfire and are particularly useful along ocean shorelines. I fully intend to plant a whole bunch of them as we have saline soil and in fact our well water has a certain amount of sodium in it. Nothing else grows in the area I want to plant them.

My horses have eaten the bark off 8 of my russian olives and we are hoping they don't die...... Is there anything I can do to save them being that is winter and very cold ??????? also how do you propagate them???????

I love Russian Olives in a yard. They are lovely and attract my favorite bird, the goldfinch! I do not find them invasive in a yard setting!

"I do not find them invasive in a yard setting!"

Macdeb, unfortunately, you don't understand the meaning of "invasive". It would be virtually impossible for you to determine that the plant was not "invasive in a yard setting".

This plant is harmful to native flora and fauna in much of the US. Loving it in your yard, may be comparable to loving pretty, colorful toxic waste dumped in your yard. Actually, the toxic waste might be considered less dangerous, because it does not spread and multiply exponentially.