Hippophae rhamnoides - Sea Buckthorn

The Sea Buckthorn is a very attractive tall suckering shrub, found growing wild on sand dunes and coastal sites. With narrow, silvery leaves and masses of striking orange berries on female plants in autumn, it has a long season of interest; the berries remain on the plants all winter. Its ability to withstand coastal gales and salt spray makes it invaluable as shelter belt for other planting under these conditions.

Site and soil

Sea Buckthorn will grow in almost any soil, but is particularly tolerant of very sandy, dry conditions. It copes well with strong winds on exposed sites, and with salt spray.

Height and spread

Below are the approximate stages of growth, assuming sited in suitable conditions for this species;

After 10 years: 6m x 6m
After 20 years: 6m x 6m

Leaf and bark

The deciduous leaves are linear, approximately 6cm long and silvery on both leaf surfaces. The bark is darker and smooth.

Flower, seed and fruit

The tiny yellowish flowers are borne in racemes in April. Sea Buckthorn is dioecious, that is, plants are either male or female, and both sexes need to be grown together in order for berries to be produced on female plants. The bright orange spherical berries ripen in large clusters on the plant in autumn. The gender of a plant can only be determined by examining the flowers and since the majority of our plants are supplied bare rooted in winter and our stock is very young we are not able to identify male and female plants. When bought in quantity there is a good chance both sexes will be represented.

Uses

Screening, wind-breaks, hedging, decorative garden and landscaping shrub. It is planted to stabilise sand dunes. Grown commercially as a food crop in Siberia, where the vitamin-rich berries are made into fruit juices and other products. An oil made from the berries is used for treating cardiac conditions, cancer radiation burns and eczema.

Wildlife

Valuable as shelter for other plants in exposed sites and for stabilising sand dunes. Because nodules on the roots fix nitrogen in the soil, Sea Buckthorn can be used as a pioneer species for more permanent planting.