The author of the text is Dr. Katarzyna Król-Dyrek
Sea buckthorn Hippophae rhamnoides belongs to the olive family, just like the olive tree. The plant was valued in antiquity - aqueous extracts from its fruits and leaves were used to treat stomach diseases.The Greeks fed their horses with sea-buckthorn leaves, thanks to which the animals had a shiny coat and gained weight faster.Hence the Latin name for sea-buckthorn: hippos - horse
and chaos - shiny.
Sea buckthorn was also known in Mongolia, Nepal, where the juice of its fruit was used to dye wool and treat food poisoning in animals.In addition, ripe fruit was used centuries ago for lack of appetite, as well as for wounds and sunburn.
What to do with overgrowing sea buckthorn?
Sea buckthorn is an undemanding and easy to grow shrub that prefers sunny positions. Due to the growing preferences, it grows relatively slowly. Although excessively expanding specimens can be pruned (March), it should be remembered that sea buckthorn does not tolerate intensive pruning, especially of thicker branches. A better solution is regular conservative pruning, shortening the ends of young shoots to thicken and form the plant during the first years of life. Numerous root suckers should be systematically removed (cut or preferably torn out). A superficial cut may promote branching.
- says Dr. Eng. Tomasz Mróz
He althy face of sea buckthorn
During World War I, dried fruits were used instead of synthetic vitamin C.Sea buckthorn oil was used by Russian cosmonauts as a vitamin supplement and protection against radiation.To this day, Far Eastern medicine uses sea buckthorn in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases, pneumonia and as an anti-hemorrhagic agent.
Currently, also in Poland, sea buckthorn is valued for the we alth of antioxidant compounds (vitamins E and C, carotenes, anthocyanins, phenolic compounds) helpful in the prevention of many diseases, including cancer and anti-aging.
In pharmacies you can find sea buckthorn ointments that are reliable in the treatment of skin diseases, frostbites, burns, bedsores, eczema or skin inflammations.Sea buckthorn oil is also available on the market to strengthen eyesight, has antiatherosclerotic properties, it is also used in heart diseases, ulcers, in radiotherapy and cosmetics.
Sea buckthorn preserves
Sea-buckthorn berries can be made into preserves, candied and dried as an addition to tea.In Russia, sea buckthorn is used as a spice for meats, in Siberia its fruit is eaten raw with sugar.Under natural conditions, sea buckthorn grows in the cooler part of Europe and Asia.In Poland, it is a protected species, it forms dense thickets on coastal dunes.
The shrub grows up to 5-8 meters, the young shoots are silver in color, and the older ones are brown, with spines, the leaves are narrow, green-silvery.The plant has shallow roots - from 0.5 to 1 meter, produces numerous suckers, so it can be used to strengthen slopes.
Garden herbs and their medicinal uses
Sea buckthorn prefers a permeable substrate with a neutral or alkaline reaction, although it grows even in reclaimed areas, which is associated with coexistence with actinomycetes, which have the ability to fix free nitrogen from the air, thus nourishing the plant.In nature, shrubs grow near water reservoirs, on sea coasts and in river valleys, i.e. always in areas with low groundwater levels (0.5-1 meter). They are completely frost-proof, light-requiring - in the shade, the branches dry up from below and stop bearing fruit.
Sea buckthorn can withstand salinity and environmental pollution, so it is often planted along streets, highways and city squares. They are suitable for unformed hedges, for strengthening slopes, and can act as windbreaks.Planted on a small plot, they require the removal of root suckers, which can quickly dominate the surroundings of the shrub.Sea buckthorn does not tolerate transplanting well and does not like hard pruning, so only remove damaged branches.
