Sea Buckthorn

Hippophae rhamnoides 'Leikora'

fruit

Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides Leikora) is a tough, thorny, deciduous shrub, 6 to 12 ft tall, with narrow, silvery-green leaves and dense clusters of brilliant orange berries that are intensely tart and exceptionally high in vitamin C. It fixes its own nitrogen through root symbiosis, so it thrives in poor soils and even enriches them. The plant is dioecious: Leikora is a heavy-fruiting female, and a male plant must be planted nearby (about one male for every six females) to pollinate it. It is extremely hardy and tolerant of wind, salt, and drought.

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Sun

full sun

💧

Water

Every 10 days

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Harvest

~3 yrs

to first harvest

📊

Difficulty

medium

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Lifecycle

perennial

Comes back every year

↔️

Spacing

6-8 ft apart

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Planting Depth

Plant at the same depth as the nursery pot; expect it to sucker from the roots

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Soil pH

6.0-7.5

Growing Details

Soil Type

Sandy, well-drained

Hardiness Zones

Zones 3 – 8

When to Fertilize

Rarely needs feeding because it fixes its own nitrogen

Fertilizer

Little to none; add compost only if soil is very poor

🌱 Growing Guide

Plant sea buckthorn in full sun in sandy, well-drained soil; it tolerates poor, lean, salty, and dry ground and needs little feeding because it fixes nitrogen. You must plant a male alongside female Leikora for fruit, as the wind-pollinated flowers need both sexes. It suckers freely from the roots and can spread, so site it where that is acceptable or contain it. Once established after a year or two it is nearly carefree. Pruning helps manage the dense, thorny growth and improve access to the tightly held berries, which are the main harvest challenge.

Planting Calendar

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Direct sow

Apr 15

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Projected first harvest

Aug 13 · Year 4

JJan

FFeb

MMar

AApr

MMay

JJun

JJul

AAug

SSep

OOct

NNov

DDec

Year 1

✅ Plant alongside

Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests

Sea Buckthorn male pollinizer: A male plant is required nearby (about one per six females) for any fruit to set
Clover: A living groundcover that complements the nitrogen-rich planting
Yarrow: Draws beneficial insects and tolerates the same lean, sunny conditions

🛡️ Pest & disease prevention

Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts. Tap a name with an arrow for its full guide

Aphids
Cluster on new growth; rinse off and conserve natural enemies
Fruit fly
Can infest ripening berries in some regions; harvest promptly and remove fallen fruit
Green aphid
Specific to sea buckthorn shoots; tolerate light levels and conserve predators

🌾 Harvest & storage

Sea buckthorn berries ripen from late summer into autumn and cling tightly in dense clusters along thorny stems, which makes picking slow. Many growers cut whole fruiting branches and freeze them, then knock the frozen berries off cleanly. The very tart, vitamin-rich berries are made into juice, syrup, jam, and sauces rather than eaten fresh.

🥗 Nutrition & benefits

Sea buckthorn berries are exceptionally high in vitamin C, along with vitamin E, carotenoids, and beneficial oils. Intensely tart, they are processed into juice, syrup, jam, and sauces.

For educational and informational purposes only. HomeSown is not medical, health, or other professional advice. Always positively identify any plant before handling or eating it; some plants, and some parts of otherwise-edible plants, are toxic. Consult a qualified professional before consuming or otherwise using any plant, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a health condition.