SEA BUCKTHORN BERRIES

Description

Profile: Spiny, blooming, deciduous sea buckthorn is endemic to Europe and Asia. Sea buckthorn's orange berries have been utilized for centuries in traditional healing. Traditional Chinese Medicine, Russian folk herbalism, and ancient Greece used sea buckthorn berries as a tonic herb and skin care product. The fruit powder is used in botanical syrups, cosmetics, herbal teas, smoothies, and extracts.

Details:

It grows on mountain slopes, riverbanks, and seashores. Silver-green foliage and yellowish-green flowers produce orange berry-sized fruits. Native to Asia and Europe, it's grown in China and Russia to reduce erosion and conserve water. Ancient Greeks through Genghis Khan wrote about sea buckthorn. Most involve sick and injured horses left in the wild, then found healthy and robust. The horses were found to be eating sea buckthorn leaves, twigs, and berries. Hippophae means "shining horse" in Latin.

This "superfruit" is hard to harvest by hand and is frequently shook off after a freeze. Once gathered, fruit can be used whole, dried, or pressed into oil. When sweetened, the ripe fruit tastes like passionfruit. Elaeagnaceae includes sea buckthorn.

Traditional Chinese and Tibetan medicine ingredient. Fruit and seed preparations are versatile. The berry is recognized as a skin-healing and health-boosting "superfruit."