Sea Buckthorn

The Sea Buckthorn also known as Seaberry is must have for your food forest and an excellent edible choice to add to your shelter belt. The berries are tart, but unique in flavour having tropical hints of mango and pineapple. The fruits will be ready to harvest from mid to late August. Sea Buckthorn grows as a shrub and begin to set fruit 3 years after planting.   

The berries of Sea Buckthorn are high in vitamin C, E, K, carotenes, flavonoids, animo acids and high in antioxidants. Equally impressive are its uses: juicing, jams, jellies, sauces, wine, tea and why not get creative and make a wonderful sorbet, also excellent to add to your homemade skin-care products!

Sea Buckthorn is a very hardy and will adapt to a variety of soil conditions. Drought tolerant once established after a few seasons, it is nitrogen fixing and tends to sucker if not controlled. The shrub has some thorns and wearing gloves are recommended during harvest. 

Growers Note: These seedlings are unsexed and will be a mix of female and male plants. Only the females will produce fruits. Although drought tolerant once established, it is recommended that Sea Buckthorn have regular watering or irrigation for the first few seasons.

Hardiness Zone: 2

Height at Maturity: 4 meters (12 feet)

Spread: 3 meters (9 feet)  

Soil Preference: Well drained 

Light Exposure: Full sun

Pollination: Self-sterile (Needs a Male pollinator tree) 

Latin Name: Hippophae rhamnoides