Some similarities to : Pyracantha, in that both have orange berries.

Not to be confused with: Blackthorn [a shrub or tree with similar name, which produces fruits called Sloe berries].

Uniquely identifiable characteristics

Distinguishing Feature :

Sea-Buckthorn is native at seasides and stabilises the sand-dunes, but is usually planted inland where it is now becoming a problem throughout Britain, for it spreads by suckering producing thickets that prevent other plants from growing. Like most sea plants, it it salt tolerant both of salt-laden sea spray on the leaves, and salt in the ground.

The tree bears very small petal-less flowers in early spring before any leaves appear, and on last years new growth. It is diocious, with separate male and female flowers on separate trees; the male flowers being very small, bud-like, orangey-brown and clustered together. The female flowers are even smaller and much less conspicuous, and are a yellowy-green. The flower clusters often grow in the thorn or the leaf axils ('armpits').

The orange berries appear on female plants only, and are present with the leaves, which are long and narrow, slightly curved backwards, and greyish-green with pock-marks.

A yellow dye can be extracted from Sea-Buckthorn.

The berries are very high in Vitamin-C, with about a 10-fold greater concentration than that in oranges. The juice from the berries contain a multitude of nourishing compounds, but more remarkable still is that the freezing point is -22 Celsius, remaining liquid even in domestic freezers. The berries are astringent and too bitter to eat raw, but after bletting (being frozen for a few days) they can be eaten, but are better used to make jams, pies and liquors.

An oil, sea-buckthorn oil, can be obtained from the seeds. It is particularly rich in plant Phytosterols tocopherols and tocotrienols, as well as especially high levels of Carotenoids. It also contains up to 65% fats in the form of of both the mono-unsaturated fatty acid palmitolic acid and the saturated fatty acid Palmitic Acid. Sea-Buckthorn oil is used to treat radiation burns to the skin caused by over-exposure to nuclear radiation, and also as a preventative to reduce the effects of ultraviolet radiation (to which it is opaque) when astronauts are working in outer space on orbiting satellites. It is used for a variety of other skin conditions including acne, eczema, etc.

Sea Buckthorn is one of the few plants, and even fewer trees, that can fix nitrogen via symbiotic bacteria (Actinomyces) in the roots. Most of these so-called Actinorhizal plants are members of the Pea Family, the exceptions being mostly shrubs and trees from diverse other families. Over 18 families of plants can manage this feat.

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