Sea buckthorn
Hippophae rhamnoides
Botanical family: Elaeagnaceae
Hippophae rhamnoides, a thorny Elaeagnaceae of dunes and damp sands (Channel coast, Rhône valley), with leaves silvery underneath. A nitrogen fixer and a fruit plant at once. Sources: Tela Botanica, “Hippophae rhamnoides L.” (Coste's flora); Plants For A Future, “Hippophae rhamnoides”.
Full sun
Well-drained, poor, sandy; tolerates salt and chalk, grows where almost nothing else does
Low once established, very resistant to drought and wind
Extremely hardy (~-30 °C and beyond)
Overwinters in your zone
Dioecious: a MALE plant is needed to fertilise several FEMALE plants (wind pollination)
Needs a male plant near the female plants
Role in permaculture
A centrepiece of permaculture design: a NITROGEN-FIXING shrub (symbiosis with the bacterium Frankia, like the alder), a pioneer of poor soils, a thorny windbreak, and a stabiliser of dunes and banks. Its orange berries, among the richest in vitamin C, feed birds and humans (juice, jelly) in autumn. It enriches the soil while producing, the multifunctional plant par excellence.
Companions
No companion planting is documented for this plant: no recommended neighbour, no neighbour to avoid.
Seasons & availability
Orange berries gathered in autumn, from September to November; they hold on the bush.
Available: September, October, November.
Guidance for the oceanic / temperate climate; it may vary with your region, altitude, exposure and growing method.
Sources
- Ecophyto PIC, « Argousier », fiche technique (ecophytopic.fr/sites/default/files/2024-11/Fiche_technique_Argousier.pdf)
- Plants For A Future, « Hippophae rhamnoides » (pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Hippophae+rhamnoides)
Nutritional & medicinal properties
For educational purposes. Not a substitute for medical advice. Effects depend on the form, the dose and personal context.
Precautions & contraindications
A very acid berry, to be diluted and sweetened. No known toxicity in food use; for a prolonged or medicinal use, seek the advice of a professional.
Species & varieties
The best-known species and varieties in France.
Common varieties
Keep in mind
Two points to anticipate: it SUCKERS vigorously (shoots at a distance), to be contained far from delicate crops, or reserved for banks and windbreaks; and it fixes nitrogen via the bacterium Frankia (not a legume Rhizobium). Like any robust coloniser, to be installed knowingly, away from sensitive natural environments.
A note on rigour: many companion pairings are gardening folklore; this note sums up what the sources say, where there are any.
Before you forage
This plant is often gathered from the wild. Only pick what is abundant, never a protected species, and never uproot a whole plant (roots) without the landowner's permission. Rules vary by country and region, check locally.
Key takeaways
- • Prefers full sun exposure.
- • Ideal soil: well-drained, poor, sandy; tolerates salt and chalk, grows where almost nothing else does.