Allergy to Russian Olive Tree

by Mike
(Prescott, AZ)

Question:
I am very allergic to the Russian Olive Tree. This makes me wonder if I would also then be allergic to Olive Leaf Extract?

Answer:
The Russian Olive tree is a different plant family to the European Olive tree.
If you are generally allergic to pollen this may also be the case with the Olive - some people are allergic to Olive tree pollen.

You would need tests done to find out.

Clairellen

Question:

I live in boulder Co; there are Russian olive trees everywhere: are the leaves from these trees suitable for a medicinal tincture?

Answer:

These trees are from a different botanical family to the olive, and are named Russian Olive because they look similar in foliage to olive trees.

I believe the fruit is used medicinally but would not try the leaves without some research being done first.

Russian Olive Leaf

by Tammara
(Buhl Idaho)

Question:

Are you aware if the Russian Olive Tree is known to have any healing properties? The leaves, flowers or fruit/olives?

Answer:

The Russian Olive tree is a different plant family to Olea Europaea which is the general species used to make olive leaf extract, and certain sub-species are better than others (see https://www.about-olive-leaf-extract.com/which-variety-of-olive-tree.html)

The fruit of the Russian Olive I believe can be eaten but I do not know about the leaves. They are certainly not the same as olive leaves.
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Russian olive trees and bark
Comment by anonymous;

They must not be poisonous.
My horses eat them all the time. They eat the leaves off the trees and will strip the bark off the trees. They must have something in them the horses are lacking. They have eaten them for years with no ill effects.

It would be an interesting study to do on the leaves and bark. The berries can be eaten and have a decent amount of EFA's in them.