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Hippophae salicifolia

Common name:	Willow-Leaved Sea Buckthorn	Family:	Elaeagnaceae
Author:	D.Don.	Botanical references:	11, 51, 200
Synonyms:
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	E. Asia - Himalayas.
Habitat:	Alluvial gravel, wet landslips and riversides to 3500 metres[51].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	5	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	3

Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	salicifolia = Salix leaved
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Rhamnales. Oleaster family
Other Range Info:	From the Ethnobotany Database
	India

Physical Characteristics

A decidious tree growing to 15m at a fast rate. It is hardy to zone 8 and is not frost tender. It is in flower in April, and the seeds ripen from September to October. The flowers are dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required) and are pollinated by Wind. The plant not is self-fertile. It can fix Nitrogen. We rate it 5/5 for edibility and 3/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires dry moist or wet soil. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Bog Garden, Woodland, Sunny Edge.

Edible Uses

Fruit.

Fruit - raw or cooked[2, 46]. A very nutritious food, and possibly the most nutritious fruit that can be grown in temperate climates. It is very rich in vitamins, especially vitamin C, plus minerals and bioflavonoids, and is also a source of essential fatty acids[214]. It comes ripe in late summer, though it can be eaten for about a month before this, and will hang on the tree until mid-winter, by which time the flavour has become much milder, though it has also become very soft and difficult to pick[K]. We and many of our visitors really like this fruit, however the flavour is somewhat like a sharp lemon and a lot people find this too acid for them[K]. It also makes a good salad dressing[K]. The fruits of some species and cultivars (not specified) contain up to 9.2% oil[214]. The fruit is used for making preserves[105, 183]. It is being increasingly used in making fruit juices, especially when mixed with other fruits, because of its reputed health benefits[214]. The fruit becomes less acid after a frost or if cooked[74].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Cancer Cardiac Poultice.

The tender branches and leaves contain bio-active substances which are used to produce an oil that is quite distinct from the oil produced from the fruit. This oil is used as an ointment for treating burns[214].
A high-quality medicinal oil is made from the fruit and used in the treatment of cardiac disorders, it is also said to be particularly effective when applied to the skin to heal burns, eczema and radiation injury, and is taken internally in the treatment of stomach and intestinal diseases[214].
The fruit is a very rich source of vitamins and minerals, especially in vitamins A, C and E, flavanoids and other bio-active compounds. It is also a fairly good source of essential fatty acids, which is fairly unusual for a fruit. It is being investigated as a food that is capable of reducing the incidence of cancer and also as a means of halting or reversing the growth of cancers[214].

Other Uses

Fuel Pioneer Soil stabilization Wood.

The plant is very fast growing, even in areas exposed to maritime winds, and it makes an excellent pioneer species for providing shelter and helping to establish woodland conditions. The plant is very light-demanding and so will eventually be shaded out by the woodland trees, thus it will never out-stay its welcome[K].
The trees have an extensive and vigorous root system and sucker freely once established. They are thus excellent for stabilising the soil, especially on slopes, and are often planted in the Himalayas to prevent land slips on the mountain slopes and create conditions for the re-establishment of woodlands[K].
The wood is very tough and hard - it can be used for many purposes including wheel hubs and other applications where toughness is essential[K]. It is also used for fuel[146].

Cultivation details

Succeeds in most soils so long as they are not too dry[200]. Grows well by water[1, 11]. A fast-growing and very wind-resistant tree, it is an excellent pioneer species for re-establishing woodlands[K].
This species is not hardy in the colder areas of the country, it tolerates temperatures down to about -10° c[200].
Members of this genus are attracting considerable interest from breeding institutes for their nutrient-rich fruits that can promote the general health of the body (see edible and medicinal uses below)[214].
The deeply cleft bark favours the growth of epiphytes[146].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[200].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[200].
Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a sunny position in a cold frame[78]. Germination is usually quick and good although 3 months cold stratification may improve the germination rate. Alternatively the seed can be sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe in the autumn. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow on in a greenhouse for their first winter. Plant out in late spring into their permanent positions. Male seedlings, in spring, have very prominent axillary buds whilst females are clear and smooth at this time[78].
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, June/July in a frame[200]. Difficult[113]. This is the easiest method of vegetative propagation[214].
Cuttings of mature wood in autumn[200]. Difficult[113]. The cuttings should be taken at the end of autumn or very early in the spring before the buds burst. Store them in sand and peat until April, cut into 7 - 9cm lengths and plant them in a plastic tent with bottom heat[214]. Rooting should take place within 2 months and they can be put in their permanent positions in the autumn[214].
Division of suckers in the winter. They can be planted out direct into their permanent positions and usually establish well and quickly[K].
Layering in autumn[200].

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

PFAF Web Pages

This plant is mentioned in the following web pages

Web References

[E] Ethnobotany Data (common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for the family Elaeagnaceae.

To be included in the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[2] Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.

[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.

[46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.

[51] Polunin. O. and Stainton. A. Flowers of the Himalayas. Oxford Universtiy Press 1984
A very readable and good pocket guide (if you have a very large pocket!) to many of the wild plants in the Himalayas. Gives many examples of plant uses.

[74] Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR. Israel Program for Scientific Translation 1968
An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers.

[78] Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948
A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.

[105] Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976
The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.

[113] Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987 ISBN 0942375009
A very detailed book on propagating trees. Not for the casual reader.

[146] Gamble. J. S. A Manual of Indian Timbers. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh 1972
Written last century, but still a classic, giving a lot of information on the uses and habitats of Indian trees. Not for the casual reader.

[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[214] Matthews. V. The New Plantsman. Volume 1, 1994. Royal Horticultural Society 1994 ISBN 1352-4186
A quarterly magazine, it has articles on Himalayacalamus hookerianus, hardy Euphorbias and an excellent article on Hippophae spp.

Readers Comments

Plant portrait - Hippophae salicifolia

Rich (michael@thewitchshaven.com) Sun Feb 11 14:09:02 2001

Another page with info on this plant can be found at http://www.doityourself.com/garden/fruits/seaberry.htm

Cross references: Web-pages: Plant portrait - Hippophae salicifolia.

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Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
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