Sea buckthorn seeds

Sea buckthorn / Hippophae rhamnoides - a genus of plants in the family Elaeagnaceae. The height of the bush does not exceed 4 m in height, the crown is sparse, branched. The leaves are filigree, linear, narrow, grayish-green above, and silver-white below, up to 8 cm in length.

Sea buckthorn blooms in April-May, with blooming leaves. The indisputable advantage of sea buckthorn is juicy, shiny, fiery orange or yellow-orange, oval or round, edible drupes, hanging in lush clusters. They have a pleasant sour taste.

Ripens mid-August to early September. Since the pedicels are very short, after the fruits ripen, there is a feeling that the fruits are attached directly to the branches, that is, as if sticking around them. That is why the plant is called sea buckthorn. The yield is estimated at 8-10 kg per bush. 

Plants reproduce by seeds and vegetatively.

It is advisable to stratify the seeds. To do this, mix them with coarse sand (1:3) and keep them in the refrigerator for 20-25 days at a temperature of 0-3 degrees Celsius. During this time, stir them 4-5 times. As soon as the seeds begin to hatch, they need to be dried for 1-3 hours until they become loose, then sow them to a depth of 5 cm and mulch them with clean sand or other mulch that does not create a crust on the soil surface.

When the first true leaves appear, the seedlings can be pricked out so that they can grow for 2-3 years. The fact is that approximately the same number of female and male plants sprout from the seeds. You should not throw away smaller plants, as only male ones may remain. At first, it is impossible to distinguish them. This can only be done when male and female buds are laid. Female buds are small and consist of two scales, and male buds are 2-3 times larger and have 5-7 scales.

4 female trees and one male are planted in a permanent place. The distance between the trees is 4 meters. Sea buckthorn likes nutritious sandy soils in a sunny place.

Root shoots appear around sea buckthorn trees, which greatly deplete the main tree, so they must be carefully removed. Above-ground pruning leads to more intensive growth of the shoots. To stop their growth, you need to carefully rake the soil to the base of the shoots and cut them to a ring near the main root. If at least a small stump remains, the shoots will begin to grow even more intensively. Every year before the buds open in early spring, dry branches must be cut off and the crown of the tree must be formed.

The fruits are edible, used to obtain sea buckthorn oil, which is used in medicine.

Sea buckthorn is cultivated for its fruits and is also important as an ornamental plant. Sea buckthorns are used to fix sand, road slopes, ravines, and for hedges.

Sea buckthorn is a valuable medicinal and vitamin plant, useful for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases and strengthening the immune system. Sea buckthorn oil is especially valuable, used in the treatment of burns, bedsores, gastritis, ulcers, hypertension, anemia, gynecological diseases.