How to Grow Hippophae - Sea Buckthorn

Hippophae–commonly called sea buckthorn-is an open, mounding shrub usually grown for its linear, silvery-gray-green leaves and spherical orange fruits. While the flowers are usually inconspicuous, the fruits are showy.

Hippophae tolerates low temperatures, wind, poor soil, and salt spray. It is a good screening or informal hedge plant for difficult situations.

Grow Hippophae in a mixed or shrub border, in a wild garden, or as specimens plants. In coastal areas, Hippohae can be used as a windbreak, hedging, or to stabilize sand dunes.

Hippophae is a genus of three species. It is native to coastal dunes and riverbanks from Europe into Asia.

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Blooming Hippophae commonly called sea buckthorm

Table of Contents

Get to know Hippophae

Plant type: Deciduous, dioecious shrubs and trees
Growing zones and range: Zones 3 to 7
Hardiness: Hardy to Zone 3
Height and width: 8-12 feet (2.4-3.7m)
Growth rate: Fast
Form and habit: Male plants grow upright; female plants spread
Foliage: Leave are silvery green, slender and about 2 inches (5.1cm) long; branches are thorny
Flowers: Inconspicuous flowers on bare branches
Fruits: In the fall, the female plants bear enormous quantities of .3 inch bright orange berries along their stems; both male and female plants are necessary for fruit production; the fruit, disliked by birds, stays on the plant through winter until early spring
Bloom time: Summer
Uses: Screening, seaside gardens, roadside plantings, stabilizing dunes and riverbanks, erosion control; looks best in semiwild setting; lends color to naturalized areas
Common name: Buckthorn
Botanical name: Hippophae
Family name: Elaeagnaceae
Origin: Costal areas and riverbanks in Asia and Europe

Where to plant Hippophae

Plant Hippophae in full sun.
Plant Hippophae in well-drained soil; spread faster in poor soil than fertile soil; does best with some organic matter keep its roots cool.
Hippophae tolerates low temperatures, wind, and salt.

When to plant Hippophae

Set container-grown Hippophae in the garden in spring or autumn.

Planting and spacing Hippophae

To ensure good berry production, plant one male Hippophae to every six females.

How to water and feed Hippophae

Give Hippophae regular to moderate water.
Feed Hippophae with an all-purpose organic fertilizer in spring.

How to care for Hippophae

Hippophae rarely needs pruning.

Hippophae pests and diseases

Hippophae is rarely bothered by pests or diseases.

Hippophae propagation

New Hippophae plants can be started from underground stems, or suckers, from root cuttings or by forcing a branch to grow roots by the method known as ground layering.
The offspring of such vegetation reproduction will be the same sex as the parent plant.

Hippophae varieties to grow

Hippophae rhamnoides, Sea buckthorn, variable in size but averaging 20 feet (6.1m) tall and wide, this large shrub or small tree has an irregular open shape and a suckering tendency. The 1-3 inch (2.5-7.6cm) willowlike leaves are gray-green and silvery, borne on spiny branches. Inconspicuous yellow-green spring flowers give way to bright orange, round to oval berries on the females. Zone 3 to 8.