Silverberry (Wolf Willow) vs Golden Currant - TreeTime.ca

Silverberry (Wolf Willow) vs Golden Currant

Elaeagnus commutata

Ribes aureum

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2025)

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Silverberry (Wolf Willow)
Golden Currant

Silverberry (also known as Wolf Willow) is a common native North American shrub. This beautiful ornamental plant has characteristic silver leaves and fragrant yellow flowers.

Its silver berries remain on the branches through the winter. Silverberry is cold hardy and has some ability as a nitrogen fixer. It can grow on dry to moist sandy/gravel soils. This plant is very low maintenance.

Golden Currant produces berries for jams, jellies, sauces and even pemmican. This currant bush is very dense, allowing for use as a hedge, windbreak, or wildlife habitat.

This plant is also a very popular rootstock to graft popular red and white currant varieties to. The resulting plants are taller, more productive, and easier to harvest.

Silverberry (Wolf Willow) Quick Facts

Golden Currant Quick Facts

Zone: 1a
Zone: 4a
Height: 3 m (10 ft)
Height: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: short
Suckering: high
Suckering: medium


Foliage: silvery leaves
Fall colour: reddish purple
Flowers: yellow
Flowers: yellow
Berries: silver, edible
Berries: glossy black berries
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Other Names: american silverberry, silver berry, wolf willow
Other Names: buffalo currant, clove currant, fragrant golden currant, golden flowering currant, spicebush