Willow-leaved sea buckthorn (Hippophae salicifolia)
Willow-leaved sea buckthorn (Hippophae salicifolia)
Vigorous and fast growing, the willow-leaved sea buckthorn is a useful plant in the right spot.
A strong growing nitrogen-fixer, the
willow-leaved sea buckthorn
goes well in shelterbelts and large hedges where it will benefit its neighbours and add interest in the form of its fruit.
The prolific orange berries are the same as those on it's smaller cousin
H. rhamnoides, and are very nutritious, as the plants extensive fine root system brings up all sorts from deep down in the soil. These berries hang on the branches all through the winter, or until you or the birds pick and eat them. Please note, these are single sexed plants so they require a male and a female to produce fruit and our plants are seedlings so of unknown sex!
Although very acid and fiddly to pick, (we prune off whole branches and bring them indoors to pick off the berries in comfort), the berries make a great juice.