Sea buckthorn

Sea buckthorns are deciduous shrubs, the height of which usually varies from 0.5 to 6 m with an adequate width.

Short description of the species

Botanical name

Sea buckthorn

Latin name

Hypopphae rhamnoides

Family

Elaeagnaceae

Origin

northwestern Europe, central Asia, western and northern China

Crop classificaton

miscellaneous fruit

Plant height

from 0.5 to 6 m with adequate width, commercial plantings up to 2.5 m

Plant width

according to the spacing, approx. 2-3m

Exposition

full sunlight and do not tolerate shady conditions

Hardiness

They can survive temperatures down to -40 °C.

Maintennance

It tolerates drought and low temperatures well. It almost does not suffer from diseases and pests.

Water requirement

at least 400 mm of precipitation per year

Soil type

well-drained, light to medium sandy loam

Soil pH

6.0-7.0

Edible part

fruits, leaves, bark, wood, roots

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Interesting

Used in ancient Greece as horse feed to promote weight gain and a shiny coat. In translation, the generic Latin name "Hippophae" literally translates as "shiny horse".

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Usage

Sea buckthorn has been used for centuries in Europe and Asia as a food and also as a plant due to its pharmaceutical properties. Anecdotal reports suggest that sea buckthorn was used in ancient times to reduce fever, relieve various inflammations, counteract toxicity and abscesses, and cleanse the lungs, colds and coughs, but also tumors and growths, especially of the stomach and esophagus.

Suitable growing locations 

They are also suitable for marginal cultivation areas, they thrive on well-drained, light to medium sandy-clay soil and are undemanding in nutrition, we grow it without chemical spraying. It has medium tolerance to saline soils. The optimum soil pH is 6-7. Although drought tolerant, a minimum of 400 mm of rainfall per year is required to ensure a good fruit yield. Sea buckthorn is cross-pollinating, so female plants necessarily need a pollinator. The ratio of male and female plants is 1:8. It also grows very well in areas with heavy air pollution. It tolerates drought and low temperatures well. The birth rate is high and regular. It almost does not suffer from diseases and pests.  

Growing technology

The ratio of male and female plants is 1:7-8. It forms a bush with 10 to 12 skeletal branches. After planting, the shoots are shortened by one to two thirds and weak branches and branches with flower buds are removed. In the following years, during the spring cut, 2 to 3 basic shoots are selected every year, which should be slightly shortened to support branching. In the first 2 years after planting, parts with flower buds are removed so as not to slow down the growth and establishment of the bush. As part of the maintenance cut, all lying branches and weak branched wood are also removed, on which, as a rule, lower quality fruits are formed. After reaching the desired number of branches, the 2 to 3 oldest branches from the base are always removed during the spring cut and replaced by the same number of strong basic shoots. In years with an excessive set of flower buds, it is recommended to control fertility by thinning the fertile wood. Another effective way is to harvest the fruits by cutting the branches with the fruits themselves, which are then completely frozen and then crushed with rubber sticks, when the fruits are very easily separated from the mother branch. As part of the harvest, the entire bush is not cut, but only one half of it, as it grows on two-year-old wood, in order to ensure the continuity of the harvest over the years.  

Suitable varieties

Practically all commercially available varieties can be planted, such as Askola, Hergo, Leikora, Vitaminnaja, Polmix (male), Slovan, Dorana, Slunéčko.

Diseases and pests

diseases: verticillium wilt (V. dahliae, V. albo-atrum, V. longisporum, V. nubilum, V. theobromae and V. tricorpus), canker (Stigmina hippophaes) and dieback (Fusarium, Diaporthe (Phomopsis), gray rot ( Botrytis cinerea), powdery mildew (Erysiphe spp.), anthracnose (Colletotrichum spp.).

pests: Japanese Drosophila (Drosophila suzukii), birds and mammals