Sun/part shade. Evergreen with distinctive grey-green foliage: leaves are oval greenish and scaly on top silvery underneath. Elaeagnus is a very large sprawling shrublike specimen up to 15 feet tall. During the growing season it shoots up numerous tall branchless bowing canes; this habit makes it fairly easy to ID. Despite the name the thorns refer simply the stout young stems which will eventually mature into soft flexible branches.As a landscape specimen elaeagnus tolerates heat drought and hedging makes an excellent screen and provides decent wildlife habitat. It’s great for planting in the middle of a big lawn. However it’s not at all appropriate for small spaces. Multiple forms are available including variegated (‘Maculata’) and dwarf (‘Nana’).