Sea buckthorn

What it is

Sea buckthorn, Hippophae rhamnoides, has berries that range from round to egg-shaped and yellow to bright orange. They are only about 0.6–1 cm (0.24–0.39 in) long. Grey-green leaves with silvery undersides surround them on the bush.

The flavour is sharply tart, with an astringent edge that leaves the mouth feeling dry. The small fruits hold firmly to their stems, making them hard to pick from among the thorns.

Where it comes from

Sea buckthorn’s native range runs from northwestern Europe across Central Asia to China and the northern Himalayas. In Finland, wild bushes grow along the Gulf of Bothnia and in the Åland Islands. In India, Ladakh’s Nubra Valley produces pulp, juice and jam.

It also grows as a crop in Canada. Indian-Summer is a Canadian variety raised from seed and adapted to the prairie climate; fruit orchards also grow in Ontario and Quebec.

How it's eaten where it grows

In Finland, the berries go into porridge or yogurt and become sauces, jam and juice. In Ladakh, the Riyul cooperative turns Nubra Valley sea buckthorn into juice, pulp and jam.

One Quebec recipe, a sea buckthorn meringue pie, uses the berry’s sharp juice in place of lemon. The frozen fruit is heated, blended and strained, then its juice becomes a filling with eggs, sugar and butter beneath a meringue topping.

How it's grown

The thorny shrub usually reaches 2–4 m (6.5–13 ft) tall and loses its leaves in winter. It needs full sun and grows well in freely draining sandy soil. Male and female flowers grow on separate bushes, and wind carries the pollen between them. Ontario orchard layouts use about one male plant for every seven females.

When and where you'll find it

On Finland’s coast, wild sea buckthorn is picked from October, when the ripe berries come away easily; the best picking is after the first frost. Frozen berries are a useful form farther from the bushes: Hedgerow Orchard in Ontario freezes its crop within hours of harvest. In Quebec, specialty groceries are a route to frozen fruit. Juice, jam and dried berries also carry the harvest beyond autumn.