United States of America, Colorado, Canyons and arroyos along east base of the mountains.
Fruit
Canyons and arroyos along the east base of the mountains, trees are often stunted and misshapen, with leaves and twigs infested by insect galls of many kinds, A common one on the leaves, caused by Pachypsylla pubescent, is a nipple-shaped gall with long hairs and a crater like depression at the top; the opposite side of the leaf has a smooth depression, another insect produces characteristics "witches brooms", clusters of affected twigs; Alien, A hardy dryland species consisting of many cultivars, this tree is rapidly replacing native riparian species and eliminating valuable nesting sites for birds, It should be eliminated whenever possible. Russian-olive is still frequently recommended for windrow and ornamental plantings; Source: Weber, W.A. and Ronald C. Wittman, Colorado Flora: Eastern Slope. University Press of Colorado, 1996.
For additional information about this specimen, please contact: Jennifer Ackerfield, Head Curator of Biodiversity Collections (jennifer.ackerfield@botanicgardens.org)