Sea Buckthorn (hippophae rhamnoides)

• Hardy deciduous shrub (up to 6m tall) with narrow silvery-grey foliage and thorny branches; excellent for coastal gardens, windbreaks, and security hedging.
• Nitrogen-fixing roots improve poor soils and stabilise dunes/erosion-prone sites.
• Bright orange berries (on female plants) high in vitamins/antioxidants, edible for jams/juices (sour taste); attract birds (thrushes, blackbirds) in winter.
• Supports pollinators with early flowers; provides dense shelter/nesting for wildlife.
• Tolerant of salt spray, wind, drought, and most soils; low-maintenance once established.

Planting Guide

• Best time: Bare-root November–March (dormant season); container-grown autumn or spring.
• Location: Full sun essential (partial shade reduces berries); well-drained soil (tolerates sandy, poor, dry, coastal); sheltered or exposed; ample space – suckers vigorously, unsuitable for small gardens.
• Preparation: Dig hole twice root width; add sand/grit to heavy soils for drainage.
• Planting: Set at original depth (check trunk soil mark); firm in, water well, mulch base (keep clear of trunk) to control weeds and conserve soil moisture.
• Aftercare: Water well first few years in dry spells; prune late winter (remove suckers/dead wood); minimal feeding; monitor/control spread.

Photo credit: Jerzy Opioła, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons (cropped)