Sea buckthorn berries are one of the most widely grown, northern-hardy fruiting plants in the world. The berries grow on a thorny shrub, botanically known as Hippophae rhamnoides, from the Greek word for “shining horse,” after Greeks took note of the shinier coats on the horses that fed on sea buckthorn berries and leaves. ‘Rhamnoides’ means “buckthorn-like” because sea buckthorn isn’t a true ‘buckthorn’ and belongs to the order Elaeagnaceae. The small edible berries are often called ‘sea berries’ or Swallow berries for the faint yellow dye they impart on cloth.

Sea buckthorn berries grow in plentiful bunches along the branches of the Hippophae rhamnoides plant. Ripe berries can vary in color from yellow to deep orange or red. The small sea buckthorn berries have a thin skin and are very fragile. Within the berry are small inedible seeds, from which oil can be extracted. They are edible when fresh but have an acidic flavor. Sea buckthorn berries contain malic acid, the same type of acid that gives an apple its tart flavor.

Nutritional Value

Sea buckthorn berries are highly nutritional and have many alternative and natural medicinal uses. The leaves alone contain 15% protein and the berries are rich in vitamins C and E, B1 and B2, folic acid and contain other healthy antioxidants. The oil extracted from the seeds has been used to treat injuries and skin conditions. The versatile berries are higher than both fish and macadamia nuts in Omega 7 fatty acids.

Serving Ideas

Sea buckthorn berries are most often harvested for their juice, which is very acidic on its own but is usually mixed with other ingredients to tone down the tartness. When crushed, pressed or boiled and strained, the juice can be made into jelly, syrups or marinades. Sea buckthorn syrup is used in cake recipes in Britain, as an additional flavor to soak into various cake layers and is used in a variety of other applications. In the Balkans, sea buckthorn juice is incorporated into a fish sauce. In Russia, buckthorn liquor is considered a top shelf item. The hardy berries can be cooked down and fermented into wine, which takes on an orange hue.

Geography/History

The sea buckthorn shrub was said to be the food source for the mythological winged horse, Pegasus, and records show its medicinal use dates back to 800AD. Sea buckthorn can be found growing along coastal regions throughout Europe and Asia, from Norway to Spain and east to the Himalayas and Japan. The thorny bush was brought to Canada in the 1930s from Siberia. Hippophae rhamnoides grows wild in the drier regions of India. Russia and China are the largest growers of sea buckthorn and rely on the whole plant for both food and medicine. These delicate berries do not travel well, so they are mostly available locally where grown.

Seasons/Availability

Fresh sea buckthorn berries are available in the fall; frozen berries are available year round.