Are Autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata) safe?

[SMR]

Autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata) are very very much found every where here. I never see deer or any thing eat them, but every search I've done says they're OK to eat and wild rabbits/deers/etc often eat the twigs/leaves/and olive like fruits. Does any one here have any ideas? I don't want to give the buns some thing that's bad.

 

[ladysown]

i've never heard of it.

I'd be inclined to have a test rabbit and feed it a bit and see how it does.

 

[MaggieJ]

Apparently we have it here in Ontario, but I am not familiar with it. This site suggests that it can be eaten as browse for livestock, but that it is low in protein and is not very palatable.

http://plants.backyardgardener.com/l/90 ... -umbellata

http://plants.findthedata.org/q/908/349 ... -poisonous