Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east across North America to the Atlantic Coast.

Habitat: Weedy escape, especially in riparian areas; often planted historically as a windbreak.

Flowers: May-July

Origin: Introduced from Eurasia

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Spreading tree 3-8 m. tall, the branches and trunk armed with 2-6 cm. thorns; young bark shiny brown, old bark gray.

Leaves alternate, linear, 3-7 cm. long, covered with minute scales which give the foliage a silvery appearance.

Flowers 1 or more in the leaf axils, perfect, pale yellow; calyx tubular, 4-lobed; petals none; stamens 4, borne near the top of the calyx tube; pistil 1-carpellary, the style short.

Fruit drupe-like, olive-shaped, gray, drying brown.