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Sea Buckthorn: 'Citrus of the North' Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) is a deciduous spiny shrub (Elaeagnaceae family) found throughout Europe and Asia. Plants grow up to 6m tall with a 2.5m spread. Sea buckthorn is dioeceous and yellow-orange berries (8mm diameter) are borne on female plants. Flower buds form on growth which is already two years old the season before flowering and fruiting. In the UK flowering is in April/May and berries ripen in September/October. Sea buckthorn is tolerant of frost and drought and grows well on poor soils, including saline ones. It also has an extensive root system which has nodules containing symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria.1,2 The berries are the part of sea buckthorn most often used as a raw materials or source of extracts, but leaves and bark can be used too. The berries may be processed to give seed, pulp and peel.
The table below summarises some information on sea buckthorn constituents uses/effects and product areas.
1. Purdue University: http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/
2. Plants for a Future: http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Hippophae+rhamnoides 3. Geetha et al, 2008 4. Chauhan et al, 2007 5. Larmo et al, 2007 6. Basu et al, 2007 7. Padwad et al, 2006 8. Gupta et al, 2006 9. Yang & Kallio, 2001 10. Xu et al, 2006 |
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