Elaeagnus mollis
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Elaeagnus mollis faces severe population decline primarily due to habitat destruction from agricultural expansion and urban development across its native range in East Asia. Overexploitation for traditional medicinal uses has further reduced wild populations, while invasive plant species compete for resources in remaining habitat fragments. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering precipitation patterns and temperature regimes that this species requires for successful reproduction.
Habitat
Elaeagnus mollis inhabits temperate deciduous forests, woodland edges, and scrubland areas across mountainous regions of China, Korea, and parts of eastern Russia. The species typically grows in well-drained soils at elevations between 200-1,500 meters, often forming part of the understory vegetation in mixed broadleaf forests.