Sea Buckthorn - Hippophae rhamnoides -  €15 per plant - male and female pair for €23

Sea Buckthorn is a very hardy deciduous shrub/tree native to Europe. This beautiful plant provides an abundance of highly nutritious orange berries in the autumn. A member of the Elaeagnaceae family, the plant associates with Frankia bacteria to fix nitrogen from the atmosphere. This plant can withstand strong winds, tolerates drought, thrives in nutritionally poor soil and its thorny branches making this an ideal plant for a windbreak or hedging. To order this plant or seeds please contact us [email protected].  

Context

  • native region: Europe-Asia
  • native habitat: Usually found near the coast, often forming thickets on fixed dunes and sea cliffs
  • family: Elaeagnaceae

Predators

  • no experience of any pests or predators 

Needs, tolerances 

  • Light: Full Sun
  • soil pH: acid-neutral -basic alkaline
  • USDA Hardiness Zone: 3a - 7b
  • Tolerates drought 
  • Very tolerant of maritime exposure

Known hazards 

  • Avoid fruit during pregnancy.

Overview

  • A deciduous Shrub growing to 6 m  by 2.5 m at a medium rate.
  • In flower in April, and the seeds ripen from Sep to October.
  • The flowers are dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required)
  • Can fix Nitrogen.
  • Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in nutritionally poor soil.
  • Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils.
  • Cannot grow in the shade.
  • Prefers dry moist or wet soil and can tolerate drought.
  • The plant can tolerate maritime exposure.

Characteristics

  • form:  Deciduous woody perennial  
  • layer : Shrub Layer
  • habit: Multi stemmed shrub 
  • height x width (m): 6 x 2.5
  • years to bearing yield: ? 
  • productive life span: 40+ years

Products 

  • Fruit: Very rich in vitamin C are quite sour  making a excellent drink with added sweeteners. The fruit becomes less acid after a frost or if cooked
  • Medicinal:  The freshly-pressed juice is used in the treatment of colds, febrile conditions and exhaustion.
  • Thorny branches make this a good barrier plant 
  • It can be used as a shelter hedge
  • Wood - tough, hard, very durable, fine-grained. Used for fine carpentry, turning etc

Functions, behaviours

  • Wind pollinated
  • The growth habit can vary drastically, ranging from 2m shrubby plants to trees of 20m. 
  • This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria - these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby.
  • Plants produce abundant suckers, especially when grown on sandy soils
  • Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus
If you would like this plant please send an email to [email protected] with your order. 
Balkan Ecology Project