Hippophae rhamnoides Leikora

The Leikora Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) is a female variety, bearing orange berries, to be consumed in jams, jellies or syrups. Sea Buckthorn is a thorny shrub with fast growth, enjoying ordinary or poor soils. Plant it as an informal hedge, a defensive hedge, or in isolation. Ideally plant in autumn for a harvest starting in September. Combine it with the male variety, Pollmix, for fruit production.

Sea Buckthorn produces small round or oval, orange berries, with a sour taste. Rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, these sea buckthorn berries are consumed as jams, syrups or jellies. They are also used in cosmetics, in the form of oil, extracted from the seeds and pulp.

The small greeninsh flowers appear in April before the foliage. Apart from a few self-fertile varieties, sea buckthorn bears either male or female flowers (dioecious plant). Fruiting then requires having a plant of the opposite sex, and a male plant can pollinate three to five female plants. The berries will be produced on the female bushes from the 2nd or 3rd year. The Leikora variety, of German origin, is a female variety.

Sea buckthorn is found both in mountainous areas and on coastal dunes, helping to fight soil erosion. It is a bushy and thorny shrub with fast growth, reaching a height of 3 to 5m (9.84 to 16.4 ft). Its dense root system fixes nitrogen in the soil. Its deciduous leaves are narrow and elongated, dark green on top and silver-grey underneath. It is a very hardy shrub, able to withstand temperatures down to -30°C (-22°F) and also tolerant of drought. In the garden, sea buckthorn can be planted as an informal hedge, a defensive hedge, or in isolation. It will bring a decorative aspect with its orange fruits, present throughout the winter.