Elaeagnus multiflora
Family Elaeagnaceae
Goumi ripens speckled red berries in June, earlier than almost any fruit in the yard — tart-sweet little cherries rich in lycopene, in quantity, from a shrub hardly anyone grows. Before that, its spring flowers perfume the whole garden and hand the first bees of the season a feast.
Underground it works a second job: goumi fixes nitrogen, quietly feeding the fruit trees planted near it, which is why permaculture designers tuck one beside every young orchard row. Poor soil is a feature, not a bug. Fast to 6 or 8 feet, hardy zones 4 to 9 — plant it where a fruit tree needs a generous neighbor.
Full Sun to Part Shade
Low water
Fast growth
Excellent edible
Attracts bees
From the print shop
Our Plant Library collection carries goumi — Elaeagnus multiflora, print Nº 423, “Goumi.”
526 designsfrom $12.99white or black backgroundmatte poster, unframed
Will it fruit where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what goumi actually needs.
Hardy inZones 4-9Goumi · Common problems
1 problem on file
Almost none
1 problem on file
Almost noneGoumi · Growing & propagation
LightWaterNitrogen-FIXER, thrives in poor soil
Soil
FertilizerFixes its own N + feeds neighbors
PruningRenewal-prune; it fixes nitrogen so plant it AS a fertility shrub among fruit trees.
SpacingPropagateSeed won't come true
Goumi · Harvest & keeping
Years to first harvestTypical yieldWhat you eat
How to tell it is readyAstringent until dead ripe, then honest sweet-tart
How long it keepsFreeze or jam
Goumi · Calculators & field guides
Goumi · Yearly calendar
No calendar activity is listed for this month.
BloomPruneHarvestBloomApril
PruneFebruary to March
HarvestJune to July
These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.
Goumi · Ecology & uses
Elaeagnus multiflora
Attracts
Moisture
DeerProtect young plants
Origin✓ Commonly eatenastringent until fully ripe
UseUseUseEdible valueJune-July: speckled red cherries — tart-sweet, high in lycopene.
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
Goumi · Varieties & cultivars
Named varieties of goumi differ in winter-chill needs, ripening time, hardiness, and whether they set fruit on their own — pick one that fits your climate.
4 varieties
Also known as Sweet Scarlet TM
Partly self-fertile
sweet, reminiscent of pie cherries — Nursery lists it as hardy to minus 25F and partially self-fertile, and recommends planting it with Red Gem for cross-pollination and heavier crops. Bearing usually starts 2-3 years after planting.
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Also known as Red Gem TM
Partly self-fertile
juicy, tart-sweet, reminiscent of pie cherries — Originally from the Russian Far East by way of the Main Botanic Garden in Kiev. Nursery reports 10-15 lbs of scarlet, silver-speckled fruit per bush and bearing 2-3 years after planting. Partially self-fertile, cropping heavier when planted with Sweet Scarlet.
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Partly self-fertile
aromatic, reminiscent of pie cherries — An Oregon selection passed on by Willamette Valley nurserywoman Lucile Whitman from cuttings taken in Tillamook, Oregon in the 1980s. Nursery lists it hardy to minus 25F and partially self-fertile, better with Red Gem or Sweet Scarlet nearby.
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Partly self-fertile
pleasantly tart, slightly astringent until dead ripe — A heavy-yielding Pacific Northwest selection. Nursery notes the slight astringency is lost only when the fruit is fully ripe, so this one rewards waiting. Partially self-fertile but better with a second variety. The largest of the named goumis, listed at 12 ft by 10 ft and described as growing to about 15 ft. Ripens earlier than the July goumis: Peaceful Heritage Nursery reports May 20 - June 5 in Kentucky, so expect the early end of the species window.
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Sources & plant identity
Elaeagnus multiflora
Hardiness, size and timing vary with your cultivar, soil and climate.
University extension research, brought together with hands-on growing experience at Story Thyme Farms.
Jackson County Master Gardener Association (Oregon State University Extension)
Missouri Botanical Garden
One Green World
burntridgenursery.comPublisher marks identify sources, not sponsorship or endorsement.
Goumi questions, answered straight.
Goumi is commonly eaten and isn't considered toxic, but "commonly eaten" isn't a guarantee for any particular person or animal — allergies, quantity, and which part you eat all matter. One caveat on this one: astringent until fully ripe. Never eat a plant you haven't positively identified, and check with a vet before letting pets or livestock graze anything new.
June-July: speckled red cherries — tart-sweet, high in lycopene.
Grafted, or from cuttings/layering (seed won't come true).
Where goumi sits in the library.
Serviceberry / Juneberry
Fig
Elderberry
Blackberry