Goumi
Elaeagnus multifloraShrub with edible berries. One of the best nitrogen fixers for food forests; extremely drought tolerant
What to know before finding it a place.
Growing notes for our conditions.
Regional fit still depends on the actual site—especially drainage, exposure, irrigation, soil and the specific cultivar selected.
Oklahoma notes
One of the best nitrogen fixers for food forests; extremely drought tolerant
Disease resistance
Excellent; extremely low maintenance
Pruning
Minimal; shape as desired
Care
Nitrogen-fixing; excellent support plant; tart-sweet berries excellent raw or cooked
Drought tolerance
High once established
Plan the partners before planting the tree.
Pollination reference
For fruiting plants, compatible bloom timing and nearby partners can matter as much as the cultivar itself.
The cultivar can matter as much as the species.
These references help narrow the large number of named varieties to options better aligned with Zone 7A conditions, disease pressure and useful harvest windows.
Zone 7A Recommended Varieties
These are recommendations carried in the Organix Zone 7A reference database. They are not automatically the same as a cultivar personally proven by Organix on every site; site conditions and availability still matter.
Compare the varieties we have reference data for.
Open a cultivar to compare chill requirement, frost timing, harvest, heat and drought response, quality, strengths and cautions. A “Zone 7A Recommended” badge identifies cultivars also present in the recommendation list above.
Sweet Scarlet★★★★★ Zone 7A Recommended Jun–Jul
Self-fertile; nitrogen-fixing; virtually zero pest/disease issues; excellent for food forests
Tart flavor not for everyone — market as health fruit; nitrogen fixation is primary value
Tillamook★★★★★ Zone 7A Recommended Jun
Better fresh eating than Sweet Scarlet; excellent for home gardens
Same low maintenance and nitrogen-fixing benefits as all Elaeagnus
How this plant can function in a larger system.
Landscape functions
Edible; Attractor; Nitrogen Fixer
Edible parts
Berries
Companion plants
Fruit trees, Grains
Community / companion role
Pollination: Self-fertile; cross-pollination improves; Companions: Fruit trees, Grains
Food-forest layer
Understory
Oklahoma classification
Primary
Support the plant without overcomplicating the system.
Soil preferences
Preferred pH 5.0-8.0
KNF / fertility schedule
Minimal; spring compost tea
Maintenance
Minimal; shape as desired
Plant performance varies with microclimate, soil, drainage, water, maintenance and cultivar. Organix uses the library to narrow good candidates, then makes final selections around the actual site.
Edible and medicinal tags describe traditional or practical plant uses in the landscape and are not medical advice. Always verify identification, preparation and individual suitability before consuming a plant.