Garnet

Autumn Olive

Size

Large

Shape

Round, reddish-bronze

Flavor

Sweet, flavorful, low astringency - sweetens further if left on the shrub into October

Texture

Juicy

Ripening window

Mid-late September, improving through October

Best uses

Fresh eating; juice, preserves

Pollination

Self-fertile per listing, though cross-pollination with a second variety improves yield

Tree size

8-10 ft

Notes

Elaeagnus umbellata. Very hardy and disease-resistant; yields 50+ lb/plant at maturity; extremely high in lycopene. Likely part of the same Hidden Springs Nursery/Hector Black breeding lineage as Charlie's Golden, Ruby, and Jewel, though not as firmly confirmed as Charlie's Golden's attribution. Zones 3-8, hardy to about -35F - comfortably covers zone 8a. Not currently banned or regulated as invasive in Texas (see Amber's notes for the full regulatory picture) - still produces viable bird-dispersed seed, so harvest fully and watch for volunteers as good practice.