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Autumn Olive?

Anybody plant this bush? Would you do it again, or wish you had never introduced it to your area? All I keep reading is how invasive it is. We have property that is wooded, but somewhat open in areas. A forester came out and basically said the type of wood on the property isnt of much value. Were thinking of implementing some clear cutting, in hopes of letting in some light to generate growth. Most of the tree's are popular, which if cut at the right time of year, will sprout shoots from the root system. Anybody know when is the right time for that to happen? I was thinking of planting some of these Autumn Olive in the clear cut areas, to create some thick deer cover. Any advise/info would be great. Ken

I planted it and the birds like it. We didn't let it take over.

I planted it 35 yrs. ago, Now I wish I hadn't. The first 15 or 20 yrs I thought it was the greatest thing I'd ever done. It spreads all over the place.

You won't like it so well after the first deer you have to recover in it! It's like tracking in razor wire.

So your saying it should help cut down on trespassing if it gets thick enough?

We have it, the deer love it. It provides excellent cover.

Autumn olive has rapidly taken over a field on my Uncle's land that I hunt. At first I thought it was a nuisance shrub and I spent alot of time trying to keep it at bay. It is a real bear to try and thin out. Now it really seems to be an excellent cover for deer. It is thick dense stuff. I think it is great cover and has definately improved the hunting. Just don't let it get away from you and you should be OK.

Left unchecked it will quickly take over. If you are looking for a shrub that establishes itself quickly and spreads like wildfire than you probably can't beat it. Wildlife division is constantly chopping it out of the game area's in my county whith the 24' hydroax to try to keep it under control. We have it coming up in a set aside field next to our house and it grows really fast. I don't mind though, because it's cover. We planted about 450 other shrubs (cranberry, ninebark, dogwood, serviceberry) in that field and they seem to take forever compared to the autumn olive. Wildlife division won't use it anymore as a cover shrub because it's so invasive.

I hunt with a friend downstate and he has it ringing several food plots. The deer seem to like it as they are always eating it, hiding in it, or rubbing it. It works great for cover but is a little difficult to keep control of.

Kenn... clear cut poplar whenever you want... as soon as light hits the forest floor, the root system (a gazillion trees will grow from one root mother) will send sprouts everywhere and in three years you will have a tangle of browse and thick cover. It is estimated that the largest single organism in the world is an Aspen stand in Colorado that covers a mountain side.

I'm going the other direction in my habitat management... I planted an acorn near my favorite hunting spot in the Manistee National Forest. In 30 years it will start producing enough mast to attract a few whitetails.

Good luck with your trees. Watch out for thorns. I hate thorns.

Tag Alder is almost as good as AO at providing quick abundant cover.

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