It's nodules nitrogen can be used to boost growth of adjacent hardwoods, especially to help nearby Black Walnuts grow faster. An easy to grow medium to large shrub, there are cultivated varieties and wild types.
Annual productivity of autumn olive ranged from 9 to 35 pounds per plant. "The red berries of autumn olive have a high carotenoid content," writes Fordham, "and particularly high levels of lycopene (30-70 mg/100g). Lycopene has powerful antioxidant properties, making it of interest for nutraceutical use." http://www.psa-rising.com/eatingwell/wild-foods/autumnolive.htm
Book: "Windbreak Technology" 1986 editor:ELSEVIER
When ripe, the fruit is juicy and edible, and works well as a dried fruit. It is small but abundantly produced, tart-tasting, and has a chewable seed. These fruits have been shown to have from 7 to 17 times the amount of the antioxidant lycopene than tomatoes have. Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elaeagnus_umbellata
A fruit that city people will have to tame by eating small amount at once, in intervals. To get their taste and system the time to adapt, and then slowly begin to appreciate the taste and the high concentration of power nutriments.