Shrubs or small trees, deciduous. Young branches rust-colored scaly. Petiole 4-6 mm, brown scaly; leaf blade elliptic or ovate to obovate-oblong, 3-10 × (1-)1.2-5 cm, abaxially with densely overlapping white and scattered pale brown scales, scales shallowly umbonate, subentire, adaxially stellate-pilose while young, lateral veins 5-7 per side of midrib, base obtuse to cuneate (especially at flowering time), apex obtuse to acute or bluntly acuminate. Flowers 1(or 2) in axil. Pedicel 4-8 mm; fruiting pedicel pendulous, 1.5-5 cm, slender. Flowers densely white and sparsely brown scaly. Calyx tube cylindric to funnelform-cylindric, 5-10 mm, constricted at base; lobes broadly ovate, 4-5.5 mm, apex abruptly acute. Filaments very short; anthers ca. 1 mm. Style glabrous. Drupe oblong, ovoid, or ellipsoidal, 1.2-1.4 cm. Fl. Apr-May, fr. Jun-Jul.

Elaeagnus multiflora is a common and variable species that is often cultivated, both for its edible fruit and as an ornamental shrub.

Thickets and open woodland in lowlands and mountains; near sea level to 1800 m. Anhui, Fujian, S Guangdong, Guizhou, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Zhejiang [Japan, Korea].