sea buckthorn

Latin: Hippophae rhamnoides L

The look: a tall (up to 4m), thorny shrub, with bright orange/red berries which develop around September.

When to harvest: berries should be harvested in September/October before the first frosts which could otherwise diminish its vitamin C content.

Where to harvest: Sea buckthorn often grows along sandy beaches and on dunes near the sea.

Sea buckthorn is a truly amazing plant. It is so versatile that it is used for the production of food, medicine and cosmetics and in some countries (China, Russia) its potential has been thoroughly researched and a whole industry set up to utilize its numerous benefits.

Medicinal use: Sea buckthorn berries are among the most nutritious and vitamin-rich fruits found in the plant kingdom. They are particularly high in vitamins C, E, P and carotene content. Sea buckthorn berries contain a high level of oil making it particularly suitable for external use in the case of burns, bedsores, and other skin complications induced by confinement to a bed or treatment with X-ray or radiation.
It is an antioxidant, anti-anaemic, anti-inflammatory plant used in cancer prevention and treatment, obesity (due to its appetite suppression qualities), in detox therapy, treatment of allergies, diarrhoea, rheumatism, etc. Products from sea buckthorn are also used to treat eye diseases, gingivitis as well as cardiovascular diseases including high blood pressure and coronary heart disease.

Culinary use: most delicious jams, syrups, drinks. Berries are also used to make a sea buckthorn oil.

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