What family does sea buckthorn belong to? Sea buckthorn - beneficial properties of berries and leaves, use in folk medicine, contraindications. Useful properties of sea buckthorn

In the article we talk about sea buckthorn, the beneficial properties of the plant and its use in folk medicine. You will learn how to use sea buckthorn and products based on it to treat colds, hemorrhoids, to maintain health with diabetes and to improve immunity.

Sea buckthorn (lat. Hippophaë) is a genus of plants of the Sucker family. These are perennial shrubs or trees, the fruits, leaves and bark of which are used in official and folk medicine. Sea buckthorn is used for medicinal purposes.

Other names for sea buckthorn: waxweed, wolfberry, ivotern.

What does it look like

Appearance (photo) of sea buckthorn Sea buckthorn reaches a height of 1−6 m. The root system develops close to the soil surface, the roots go deep to a maximum of 40 cm, but spread over a wide area. Sea buckthorn roots are skeletal, semi-skeletal and weakly branched, forming nodules that contain nitrogen-fixing bacteria.

Sea buckthorn is a multi-stemmed plant. Mature trunks are covered with dark brown bark. Young shoots are silvery, pubescent. Shortened shoots have numerous long spines. Shoots of different ages create a round, pyramidal or spreading crown.

The leaves are alternate, long and narrow. The upper side of the leaves is dotted green, the underside is greyish-white, silver or rusty-gold due to the dense star-shaped scales covering the leaf.

Flowers appear before leaves. They are same-sex. Sea buckthorn flowers are small and inconspicuous, collected in short spike-shaped inflorescences at the base of young male shoots. Flowers also appear on female shoots; in this case, they are solitary and form in the axil of the covering scale.

The perianth is simple, bifid. The male flower has a flat receptacle, while the female flower has a concave and tubular receptacle. There are 4 stamens, 1 pistil, with an upper, unilocular, single-seeded ovary and a bifid stigma. Flowers are most often pollinated by the wind, less often by insects.

The fruit of sea buckthorn is a false drupe of spherical or elongated shape. It consists of a nut, which is covered with a juicy, fleshy, smooth and shiny receptacle. The fruits are orange or reddish in color. A lot of berries ripen on one plant; they are densely arranged and seem to “stick” to the branches (hence the name of the tree).

The plant reproduces by seeds and vegetatively. Blooms in April - May, bears fruit in August - September. Sea buckthorn is not a honey plant, but honey is often mixed with its berries.

Where does it grow?

Sea buckthorn is widespread in Russia, mainly in Siberia. It also grows throughout Europe, the Caucasus, Western and Central Asia, Mongolia, China and India.

It grows along the banks of reservoirs, in floodplains of rivers and streams, prefers pebble and sandy soils, and in the mountains it can rise to a height of up to 2,100 m above sea level. Loves light and tolerates frosts well down to -45 degrees and below. Does not tolerate waterlogged soil and swampy areas.

Sea buckthorn is bred as an ornamental plant and planted in gardens and parks. The fruits of sea buckthorn are used in cooking - this is the main reason for planting the plant in summer cottages and garden plots. Sea buckthorn berries are tasty and healthy.

Sea buckthorn berries

Sea buckthorn berries are used for medicinal purposes. Sea buckthorn fruits are used for medicinal purposes. Leaves and bark are harvested less often.

Is it possible to eat sea buckthorn with seeds? You can, not only will they not cause harm, but they will also help cleanse the intestines of waste and toxins.

Chemical composition

Chemical composition of sea buckthorn berries:

• provitamins A;
• vitamins B, C, E and K;
• Sahara;
• malic and tartaric acids;
• tannins;
• coloring pigment quercetin;
• fatty oil;
• iron;
• copper;
• zinc;
• manganese;
• potassium;
• calcium.

Sea buckthorn also contains some types of plant antibiotics.

Medicinal properties

The medicinal properties and contraindications of sea buckthorn depend on its chemical composition, as well as the body’s reaction to these substances.

Useful properties of sea buckthorn:

• antiseptic;
• antibacterial;
• bactericidal;
• antiviral;
• antifungal;
• anti-inflammatory;
• pain reliever;
• wound healing;
• regenerating;
• laxative;
• restorative.

How is sea buckthorn beneficial for the body? The wound-healing and regenerating properties of the plant’s berries are of greatest value.. The fruits and oil from them are used not only in folk, but also in official medicine. Sea buckthorn is used for burns, frostbite, insect bites, wounds and cuts on the skin and mucous membranes.

In addition, sea buckthorn berries and sea buckthorn oil are used in the treatment of inflammatory diseases of various etiologies. The main directions are the therapy of gastroenterological and gynecological diseases.

Products based on the fruits of the plant are used for gastritis, stomach and/or duodenal ulcers, and degenerative changes in the mucous membrane of the digestive tract. Sea buckthorn helps with constipation and hemorrhoids. In the latter case, candles with sea buckthorn are used, read more in.

In gynecology, sea buckthorn is used for colpitis, endocervitis, and cervical erosion. To treat female diseases, decoctions and infusions are prepared, tampons and vaginal suppositories are made, and baths are taken. Read more about the benefits of sea buckthorn for women.

The benefits of sea buckthorn for the human body are obvious in the treatment of colds and flu. Sea buckthorn eliminates symptoms such as sore throat, cough, nasal congestion, pain, destroys viruses and bacteria, and increases local and general immunity.

Sea buckthorn and, in particular, sea buckthorn oil are used in cosmetology. In the articles we also told you how to make your skin and hair healthy and beautiful.

How to collect

When to collect sea buckthorn? If you want to eat berries fresh or prepare jam and compote for the winter, pick the fruits at the very beginning of ripening - in late August - early September. At this time, the fruits contain the maximum amount of vitamin C.

Harvesting berries for oil or juice production is best done in mid-late September. By this time they will become juicier and you will get a larger amount of the final product.

How to collect sea buckthorn berries? Picking fruits by hand is not easy, we will tell you several ways and answer the question - how to pick sea buckthorn berries quickly.

To collect fruits without any equipment, you can cut them directly with the branches, although this is not the most humane method in relation to the plant.

If you do not want to harm the bush, use devices for collecting sea buckthorn.

"Cobra" is a popular folk invention. A handle is made from a small piece of wood, to which a thin steel wire is attached, a loop is formed - it will “grab” the berries. The loop should resemble the wick of a burning candle.

Another device for collecting sea buckthorn berries is a scraper. The principle of operation is the same - capturing the berries and scraping them from the branch. The scraper is made of steel wire 50 cm long. A curl is made in the middle of the segment, like a spring. The ends of the scraper are aligned and bent to one side at an angle of 90 degrees.
Device for collecting sea buckthorn Now you know how to properly collect sea buckthorn. The easiest time to do this is in winter. Place plastic film under the tree, shake it or lightly beat the trunks with sticks. Frozen berries will easily fall off on their own.

Whole sea buckthorn berries are stored frozen. The fruits retain vitamins for 6 months.

How to use

In this section we will tell you what can be prepared from sea buckthorn, and how to use these remedies for colds, hemorrhoids, diabetes, to increase immunity and in other cases.

Cold mixture

Sea buckthorn contains 3 times more vitamin C than an orange. 100 g of sea buckthorn contains 200 mg of ascorbic acid, 100 g of orange contains only 60 mg. Sea buckthorn with honey is an excellent remedy for treating colds and coughs.

Ingredients:

1. Honey - 1 part.
2. Sea buckthorn berries - 2 parts.

How to cook: Grind sea buckthorn berries and mix with honey. Store the medicine in a glass jar in the refrigerator.

How to use: Eat 1 tsp. products 1-2 times a day.

Result: Eliminates cough and other cold symptoms, destroys bacteria, improves immunity.

If you have a cold, you can also eat sea buckthorn jam; the recipe is presented here. In other articles you can learn how to prepare pureed sea buckthorn, berry jam, compote, fruit juice and syrup.

Suppositories for hemorrhoids

To treat hemorrhoids, suppositories with sea buckthorn oil are used. They can be purchased at a pharmacy or prepared independently at home. Sea buckthorn suppositories have an antiseptic effect, relieve inflammation and accelerate healing.

To prepare rectal suppositories, prepare torpedo-shaped molds in advance; they can be made from food foil.

Ingredients:

1. Sea buckthorn oil - 20 ml.
2. Beeswax - 50 g.
3. Vaseline - 2 g.

How to cook: Mix all ingredients, place in a water bath, stir until smooth. Pour the mixture into molds. Place in the refrigerator for 1 day.

How to use: Use candles once a day before bed.

Result: Suppositories with sea buckthorn oil relieve inflammation and relieve pain, speed up healing.

Infusion for diabetes

Decoctions, infusions, and tinctures are prepared from sea buckthorn. Not only the berries, but also the leaves of sea buckthorn have medicinal uses, for example, for diabetes. How are sea buckthorn leaves useful for this disease? They lower blood sugar levels and improve immunity, which is especially important for type 2 diabetes.

Ingredients:

1. Dried and crushed sea buckthorn leaves - 15 g.
2. Boiling water - 100 ml.

How to cook: Pour boiled water over the raw materials. Leave for 1-2 hours. Strain before use.

How to use: Take 10-15 ml of infusion 2 times a day.

Result: An infusion of sea buckthorn leaves lowers blood glucose levels and helps maintain health in type 2 diabetes.

Tincture for immunity

Tincture of sea buckthorn berries with vodka strengthens the immune system; it is also used to increase appetite and restore strength after illness.

Ingredients:

1. Sea buckthorn berries - 1 kg.
2. Sugar - 200 g.
3. Vodka - 1 l.

How to cook: Pour berries and sugar into a jar, pour vodka, close the lid. Infuse the drink in a dark, cool place for 1 month. Strain.

How to use: Take tincture 20-30 ml per day.

Result: Strengthens the immune system and increases the body's resistance to colds.

Read more about sea buckthorn tincture in. You can also find out recipes for sea buckthorn vodka and sea buckthorn wine.

Other uses

You already know what vitamins sea buckthorn contains and what diseases it can be used for.

Sea buckthorn is also used for gastritis and stomach ulcers. For these diseases, take sea buckthorn oil. Below we have given standard dosages, be sure to consult your doctor before use.

Sea buckthorn oil for gastrointestinal diseases:

• gastritis with high acidity - 3 tsp, mixed in a glass of warm milk, 1 time a day in the morning on an empty stomach;
• gastritis with low acidity - 1 tsp. 2 times a day 30 minutes before meals;
• stomach ulcer and erosion - 1 tsp. per day in the morning on an empty stomach.

Treatment of constipation is also carried out with sea buckthorn oil, using 1 tsp. products 2 times a day. The course of therapy is 1 month.

Sea buckthorn oil is used for cystitis. A cotton-gauze swab is soaked in it and inserted into the vagina at night. They clean it up in the morning. The course of treatment is 2 weeks.

For pancreatitis, you can drink compotes, fruit drinks, and eat sea buckthorn jam.

To lower blood pressure, eat fresh berries, ground with sugar or honey, drink sea buckthorn juice or fruit drink.

For gout, take an infusion of sea buckthorn leaves - ½ cup 3 times a day.

Is it possible to take sea buckthorn during pregnancy?

Can pregnant women eat sea buckthorn? You can - both fresh and in the form of preparations, and even sea buckthorn oil.

During pregnancy, taking many medications is prohibited. Sea buckthorn will help with colds and coughs, vitamin deficiency, gastritis and other gastrointestinal diseases, constipation, hemorrhoids, and skin diseases.

Sea buckthorn during early pregnancy will help cope with the symptoms of toxicosis without harming the fetus or the mother herself. You can eat it fresh, drink sea buckthorn juice, or eat berry preparations.

Sea buckthorn oil is taken in the early stages to treat stomatitis, runny nose, sore throat and other inflammations, and skin diseases.

Before using sea buckthorn during pregnancy, be sure to consult your doctor.

Sea buckthorn during breastfeeding

Sea buckthorn is also allowed on GV. The berries can be eaten in small quantities in their pure form. You can drink sea buckthorn juice diluted with water in a 1:1 ratio.

To improve lactation, you can drink warm milk, adding a tablespoon of sea buckthorn and carrot juice to half a glass.

Sea buckthorn oil can be used to lubricate cracked nipples. For these purposes, lubricate your nipples 30 minutes before lactation.

Features of the use of sea buckthorn in children

At what age can children be given sea buckthorn without fear of negative reactions from the body? Already at 7-8 months, the baby can eat mashed berries and drink sea buckthorn juice, but provided that he does not have diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, gall bladder or liver.

It is better to dilute sea buckthorn juice with water. For children under one year old in a ratio of 1:3, for older children in a ratio of 1:1.

For children, the beneficial properties of sea buckthorn are no less valuable than for adults. Regular consumption of berries will help strengthen the immune system and cope with colds and flu.

Contraindications

You already know the beneficial properties of sea buckthorn, contraindications for eating berries:

• individual intolerance;
• gastrointestinal diseases in the acute phase;
• cholecystitis;
• hepatitis;
• gallbladder diseases;
• urolithiasis disease.

Before using sea buckthorn and products based on it, be sure to consult with your doctor.

Classification

Taxonomic position:

• department: Angiosperms;
• class: Dicotyledons;
• order: Rosaceae;
• family: Suckers;
• genus: Sea buckthorn.

Varieties

The Sea Buckthorn genus includes only 2 plants:

• sea ​​buckthorn;
• sea ​​buckthorn.

For more information about sea buckthorn, watch the video:

Sea buckthorn infographics

Photo of sea buckthorn, its beneficial properties and applications:
Sea buckthorn infographics

What to remember

1. Sea buckthorn is an ornamental and medicinal plant. The berries are used in folk medicine. You know how to collect sea buckthorn and prepare it.
2. Sea buckthorn is most often used as a wound healing agent. The berry and products based on it are used internally and externally.
3. Before using sea buckthorn berries for medicinal purposes, read the list of contraindications and consult your doctor.

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Classmates

Sea buckthorn is a shrub or small tree reaching a height of three to four meters with branches covered with small thorns and green, slightly elongated leaves.

Sea buckthorn is wind pollinated and blooms in late spring. The fruits are small (up to 8-10 mm), orange-yellow or red-orange, oval in shape. The name for this plant “Sea Buckthorn” is very apt, since its berries are on very short stalks and sit very closely on the branches, as if clinging to them. The berries have a rather pleasant sweet and sour taste, as well as a peculiar, unique aroma that vaguely resembles pineapple. This is why sea buckthorn is sometimes called the northern, or Siberian, pineapple.

This plant has a fairly wide distribution area: from Western and Eastern Siberia to the southern regions of the European part of Russia, Moldova, the Caucasus and Ukraine.

Even during the heyday of Ancient Greece, horses were given a strong decoction of sea buckthorn leaves and branches to drink. This was done to keep their skin healthy and shiny.

Useful properties of sea buckthorn

Sea buckthorn berries are incredibly rich in vitamins;

flavonoids, folic acid, carotenoids, betaine, choline, coumarins, glucose, fructose and phospholipids.

Berries contain a fairly large amount of acids, such as malic acid, citric acid, caffeic acid and tartaric acid.

The berries are also rich in tannins. This modest-looking berry is not deprived of macroelements and microelements, such as sodium, magnesium, iron, silicon, aluminum, lead, nickel, manganese, strontium and molybdenum.

Sea buckthorn is also used internally to treat diseases of the cardiovascular system, chronic diseases, blood diseases, gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers, and vitamin deficiency.

For anemia and exhaustion, sea buckthorn fruits are used as food in any form. The leaves and young twigs are brewed and drunk as tea.

Almost everyone, without exception, knows about the miraculous sea buckthorn oil, which is “extracted” from the fruit, and the seeds of the berries contain much more of it than the pulp. The oil is very effective in the treatment of radiation injuries to the skin, thermal or chemical burns and in the treatment of trophic ulcers. Thanks to the truly magical and miraculous powers of sea buckthorn, doctors resist gastric and duodenal ulcers, stomatitis and pulpitis.

Sea buckthorn oil cures laryngitis and pharyngitis instantly. This unsurpassed remedy is suitable for injuries and defects of the cornea, conjunctivitis, and radiation burns of the eyes. Many dermatologists recommend sea buckthorn oil to enhance hair growth and in cases of certain skin diseases.

Sea buckthorn oil is used to treat burns, bedsores, frostbite, senile cataracts, gastritis, diabetes, anemia, hypertension, various ulcers, and atherosclerosis.

Inhalations of sea buckthorn oil are used to prevent occupational respiratory diseases for those working in hazardous industries.

It has long been established that preparations made on the basis of sea buckthorn oil can greatly improve the body’s tolerance to certain antitumor drugs, and sometimes even enhance their effect.

Sea buckthorn will insure both a pregnant woman and a newborn.

It is recommended to add sea buckthorn juice to the milk of a nursing mother from the age of one month. A few drops of juice are added to the baby's complementary foods, and if the juice is absorbed normally, the dose is quickly increased.

Dangerous properties of sea buckthorn

Sea buckthorn has some contraindications. Fortunately, there are very few of them. First of all, it is worth remembering that it is a product with a high content of various biologically active substances. This berry contains a lot of carotene, which can cause an allergic reaction in the presence of serious immune disorders.

Sea buckthorn should also be used with caution by people with liver diseases, pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), cholecystitis (inflammation of the gallbladder) and inflammation of the duodenum, since sea buckthorn contains many acids. We must remember that sea buckthorn increases the acidity of urine, so it is best to avoid it if you have urolithiasis. (Sea buckthorn Nirrornae rhamnoides

L.) in our country is widespread in many areas. Sea buckthorn is a branched tree-like shrub or small tree up to 6, sometimes 10 m high, with short shoots ending in very strong spines 2-7 cm long. In Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan there are sea buckthorn groves with trees up to 15 m high and up to 30-40 cm in diameter

Morphological characteristics

Young shoots are silvery in color with scales and hairs, then rusty-brown, the bark on the trunks is yellow-brown, almost black, on the branches it is brown-green or gray. Leaves are alternate, linear or lanceolate, simple, entire, 2–8 cm long, 2–8 mm wide, with rolled edges, obtuse at the apex, on short petioles, without stipules, almost sessile, gray-green above, silvery-white below , pubescent. The plant is dioecious with unisexual small, inconspicuous flowers, wind-pollinated, not visited by bees and other insects, since the flowers do not have nectaries. Flower buds are formed on the growth of the previous year, i.e. in the year preceding fruiting.

The flowers are collected in short, 5-8 mm long, 4-6-flowered spikes. The flowering period of male bushes usually lasts 6-12 days. Pistillate (female) flowers, like staminate flowers, develop singly in the axil of the covering leaf, less often in the form of a few-flowered umbrella with 2-3 yellowish-green flowers. They are petalless, cup-shaped, with a two-lobed tubular perianth of an oblong-ovate shape, 2-4 mm long, up to 1.5 mm wide, on a short (0.3-0.7 mm) peduncle. It blooms in April-May before blooming or simultaneously with the leaves blooming; the fruits ripen in late August - October; From the beginning of flowering to the full ripening of the fruit, 12-15 weeks pass.

Fruits are juicy false drupes of various shapes: spherical, ovoid, oval, ellipsoidal, 0.8-1 cm long, 3-8 mm wide, glabrous, shiny, orange, golden yellow or yellowish-red in color, sweet and sour with a flavor pineapple They sit tightly on the shoots, literally clinging to the fruit-bearing branches, often remaining on them all winter.

The lifespan of sea buckthorn is 25-30 years, but fruiting and the ability to reproduce by root shoots decrease from 15-18 years. It enters the fruiting stage at the age of 3-4 years, reaching its greatest productivity by 7-12 years, when up to 15 kg of fruit can be collected from 1 bush or tree.

Environmental requirements

Sea buckthorn grows mainly along pebble-sandy banks of streams, rivers, lakes, seas, in floodplains and above-floodplain terraces. It rises into the mountains up to 2000-3000 m (Caucasus) and even up to 5000 m (Tibet) above sea level. It has pronounced ecological plasticity: it grows on relatively poor sandy soils subject to wind erosion, even on slightly saline ones, which is greatly facilitated by the presence of nodules with nitrogen-fixing microorganisms on the roots, but it prefers loose, light-textured carbonate soils, and is sensitive to their fertility and moisture. The root system in floodplain conditions easily withstands flooding. The soil should have a neutral reaction (pH 6-7). It grows poorly on heavily podzolized soils and does not tolerate heavy clay soils at all, especially in swampy and flooded areas with standing water. It is very photophilous, bears almost no fruit under the canopy of tree species and dies off relatively early. Resistant to low winter (withstands up to -50 °C) and high summer (up to 40 °C) temperatures.

Chemical composition

100 g of sea buckthorn fruit contains 5-6 daily doses of provitamin A (11 mg), up to 10 doses of vitamin C (316-1000 mg), a large amount of vitamin E (from 8 to 18 mg), up to 1000 mg of vitamin P, which strengthens the blood vessels. In addition, there are vitamins: B (0.35 mg), B 2 (0.3 mg), B 6 (0.79 mg), PP and K. The fruit pulp contains up to 8.5% sugars, 2.7% organic acids. The amount of valuable sea buckthorn oil, rich in unsaturated fatty acids (linoleic and linolenic), reaches 9% in the pulp and up to 12% in the seeds. The content of pectin substances is from 0.3 to 0.4%. In terms of the amount of microelements, sea buckthorn also occupies one of the leading places. 15 different microelements were found in it, including manganese, aluminum, magnesium, silicon and titanium. Sea buckthorn leaves are rich in tannins (8%), bactericidal substances - phytoncides and vitamins. Thus, the amount of vitamin C in the leaves reaches 1374 mg%.

Of all fruit plants, sea buckthorn fruits contain the most tocopherols (vitamin E) - from 4 to 18 mg%. Fruit pulp oil contains up to 160 mg%.

Application of sea buckthorn

Sea buckthorn has been known for a long time as a food and medicinal plant. Ancient Tibetan medicine used it "from roots to seeds." Sea buckthorn was considered an amazing, universal healing agent. They treated gout and rheumatism, scurvy and tumors, diseases of the digestive tract and many others. Sea buckthorn oil is especially widely used. It has a wound-healing and analgesic effect, and is used in the treatment of burns, eczema and diabetes, blood diseases and hypertension, radiation sickness and senile cataracts, hair loss and in cosmetics. The popularity of sea buckthorn as a dietary product is also widely known. Its fruits, a real natural storehouse of vitamins, are widely used in food in fresh and processed forms. It is used in nutrition for stomach ulcers and metabolic disorders; a decoction of the fruit in the form of lotions is used for skin diseases. A decoction of the seeds has a laxative effect.

To treat gastric ulcers, prescribe 1 teaspoon of sea buckthorn oil 2-3 times a day 30-40 minutes before meals.
Nourishing masks based on sea buckthorn oil are widely used in cosmetics. For animals, the industry produces a multivitamin concentrate from oil production waste.

Yellow paint is obtained from sea buckthorn fruits, and black paint is obtained from young shoots and leaves. The bark, young shoots and leaves contain over 10% tannins, suitable for high-quality leather processing. The wood is very durable, fine-grained, has a beautiful streak structure, yellowish-brown color, is highly polished, and is used for the production of turning, carpentry and carvings. Sea buckthorn is an ideal species for consolidating and greening loose sand, slopes of ravines and gullies, steep slopes, railway embankments, for strengthening the banks of rivers and reservoirs, for reclamation of lands used in the mining industry that were previously considered waste. As an ornamental plant, it is used in green construction to create residential hedges that tolerate pruning; grows well in urban environments with high levels of smoke, dust and gases in the air.

Planting sea buckthorn

Sea buckthorn should be planted in early spring, not autumn. Fertilizers applied to the planting hole provide the plant with nutrition for 2 years.

Planting is done in holes measuring 60 x 60 x 60 cm. Usually, before planting seedlings, sand and humus (peat compost, manure) are added to the hole or to the entire area in a 1:1 ratio at the rate of 2 kg/m2, as well as phosphorus-potassium fertilizers at a dose of 50-60 g/m2. If the soil is acidic, then add a half-liter jar of ash or 100 g of lime to the mixture. When planting, it is better to place plants in rows at a distance of 2-2.5 m, with a row spacing of 4 m.

Soil treatment after planting

It is preferable to keep the soil under fallow for the first 2-3 years, and in the future you can grow green crops (parsley, dill, etc.) with shallow tillage. They loosen it shallowly (at the trunk by 5-8 cm, then about 10 cm). When the roots are mechanically damaged, lush root shoots appear. Grass can be grown around and between tree trunks, which is then mowed and left as fertilizer. This creates favorable conditions for the root system of plants.

When caring for sea buckthorn, all treatments are carried out to a depth of no more than 7 cm. The shallow location of sea buckthorn roots requires constant monitoring of soil moisture. When organizing irrigation, you should proceed from the fact that perennial plantings have a root system located in an 80-centimeter layer of soil. On average, 3-10 buckets of water are required per 1 m2 of tree trunk circle during the dry period. The most important period in this regard is from June to July, when the formation of fruit buds of the next year's harvest occurs. After watering and the formation of a surface crust, the soil must be loosened.

Sea buckthorn feeding

Fertilize with mineral fertilizers (20 g of Kemira-hydro per 10 liters of water and about 3-3.5 liters of solution for each plant). It is advisable to feed fruiting sea buckthorn plants once every 3 years with 10 kg of organic matter and 20-30 g of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers per 1 m2 of tree trunk circle. Previously, experts did not recommend applying nitrogen fertilizers to fruit-bearing trees. In recent years, it has been established and tested in practice that early spring, as well as during the flowering period and immediately after flowering, especially on sandy and infertile soils, fertilizing with nitrogen in moderate doses (10-15 g) has a positive effect on the yield and size of berries . Instead of mineral fertilizers, you can use liquid fertilizers with slurry, manure or infusion of green grass.

Every year, 1.5 buckets of rotted manure are poured around the tree trunk circles (a layer of about 4-5 cm). It is known that the main part of sea buckthorn roots is located superficially (15-40 cm) and there are nodule formations on the roots that can fix nitrogen, so sea buckthorn roots require access to air. The application of rotted manure is necessary so that new roots are formed and the plant is better anchored in the soil.

In the spring, dry branches are pruned so as not to interfere with the harvesting of fruits, and also so that the plant has a decent appearance, and also in order to prevent pest damage, pests can accumulate on dry branches. The cut branches are burned.
With age, plants produce abundant growth, which should be removed in a timely manner. To do this, use a shovel or hoe to expose the base of the root shoot and remove it with pruners or a knife.

Diseases and pests

In recent years, a pest has appeared on sea buckthorn - a fly (the larvae of the sea buckthorn fly destroy up to 90% of the fruit harvest in some years), which lays eggs in the still green berries, from which larvae are formed. They feed on the juice of the berries and leave them to mummify. Fruits damaged by such flies are easy to detect on the plant - they have a black dot (injection site). To combat the sea buckthorn fly, the well-known sea buckthorn practitioner A. Eidelnant recommends sprinkling the tree trunk circle with rotted manure in early spring so that the overwintered larvae cannot get to the surface.

Diseases include endomycosis, fusarium, and scab. Berries affected by endomycosis turn white, lose their flavor, and are easily crushed in the hands when picked. Sometimes they completely cover the fruiting branches, some of them burst, and the contents of the berries spread over the branches. The next year, the disease-affected bushes bear almost no fruit. Crop losses from endomycosis reach 40%, from scab - up to 50%. Black cancer, cytosporosis, necrosis, and heart rot also cause great damage to sea buckthorn thickets. Most of the crop is destroyed by birds: fieldfare, magpies, crows, etc.

Sea buckthorn blooms simultaneously with the leaves blooming. At this time, male specimens become very dusty. The wind carries pollen up to 100 m, so flowers on female plants are more likely to be pollinated. To be fair, it must be said that in garden plots the lack of one’s own male plants is not such a problem: often the neighboring “men” are also sufficient. But still, for a full-fledged harvest, it is better to take special measures for pollination of females. Some gardeners, during the abundant “dusting” of male plants, hang bottles of water on female specimens, placing branches cut from male plants in them. Others make it even simpler: they shake off pollen from a “male” branch borrowed from their neighbors near the female plants. You can also graft a cutting from a male specimen into the crown of a female specimen (the branch grown from the scion is enough to pollinate three or four female specimens). This way you can increase the number of varieties on the site by selecting them, for example, according to different ripening periods.

Special pollinating varieties have been created for pollinating female sea buckthorn flowers, for example, the Altai variety Gnome, which has no thorns, flower primordia are winter-hardy, and growth is restrained. They can be used for grafting and for planting in the garden.

Nowadays, gardeners have a lot of choice. Quite a lot of varieties of sea buckthorn have been created, they have been tested at variety plots and recommended for cultivation; larger fruits (1 g) have appeared, with rather long stalks. The most interesting varieties include: early ones - Vorobyovskaya Lyubimaya, Chuyskaya, Panteleevskaya, Lyubimaya; medium - Trofimovskaya, Universitetskaya, Moscow Beauty, Gift to the Garden; late ones - Vorobyovskaya, Perchik, Moskvichka, Galerit, Krasno-karminnaya, Elizaveta. Low-growing varieties with a bush height of 1.5-2.5 m also appeared: Galerit, Ryabinovaya, Studencheskaya, Universitetskaya and Mendeleevskaya.

It is better not to purchase seedlings from random sellers. It is difficult for a non-specialist to distinguish a female plant from a male one. It is more profitable to look for the nursery closest to you that has a state license for the production of planting material, and purchase the variety most suitable for your conditions.

Sea buckthorn propagation

Sea buckthorn can be propagated by shoots, layering, lignified and green cuttings, grafting and seeds.
When propagated by shoots, all the characteristics of the mother plant are transmitted. At the same time, you should know that the shoots formed near the mother plant are unsuitable for reproduction; as a rule, they do not have their own roots. Such growth must be removed by carefully removing the top layer of soil down to the horizontal root of the mother plant, and cut off without leaving a stump. Cover the cut area with garden varnish and fill the hole with fertile soil. For propagation, you should use the shoots that have formed no closer than 1.5-2 m from the trunk of the mother plant. In order for the roots of this coppice plant to actively grow, it should be covered with loose, fertile soil in early spring and kept moist throughout the spring and summer. In the spring of next year, the mound is carefully raked. In the place of hilling of a coppice plant, a good root lobe is usually formed. Such a specimen is cut with pruning shears with a small part of the mother root and planted in a permanent place.

Layerings for propagation of sea buckthorn are easier to obtain from young plants when they have branches located close to the surface of the ground. In early spring, select a branch with the strongest annual growth, make a groove about 15 cm deep in the soil, tilt the intended branch and pin it with hooks until it is covered with soil. When side shoots appear on the laid branch, it is sprinkled with fertile, loose soil. During the summer and autumn, the soil of the ditch should be constantly moist. In the spring of next year, carefully dig up the bent branch, separate the rooted annual shoots with pruning shears and plant them for growing or immediately in a permanent place.

For propagation by lignified cuttings during the plant's dormant period (late autumn, winter or early spring), annual lignified cuttings are prepared. They are cut from pre-selected high-yielding, healthy varietal plants. The rooting ability of such cuttings depends to a large extent on their length and thickness. The optimal length of annual growths from which cuttings are taken is about 40 cm, thickness - 6-8 mm. From the harvested annual growths, cuttings 15-20 cm long are cut with a knife or pruning shears, wrapped in a damp cloth, placed in a plastic bag, snow is poured there and placed in a snow pile. To prevent it from melting prematurely, it is sprinkled with sawdust on top in a fairly thick layer of 25-30 cm. A bed for harvested cuttings is prepared in the fall or early spring. Before planting, the cuttings are soaked in warm water for 3-4 days, changing it daily. They are planted vertically or with a slight slope, leaving 2-4 buds on the surface. The distance between plants is from 5 to 20 cm, between rows - from 10 to 30 cm. This depends on the available area and the number of cuttings.

Planting lignified cuttings on black film is effective. To do this, early in the spring the prepared bed is covered with black film. Under it, the soil warms up faster and better, retains moisture and heat longer, and weeds practically do not develop. Maintenance throughout the growing season is usual: watering, loosening. Typically, the roots of cuttings appear 3-4 weeks after planting. By the end of summer, most plants reach a height of 20-30 cm, and under favorable conditions and good care - up to 60 cm. Usually 30-40% of cuttings take root.

The method of propagating sea buckthorn by green cuttings is practically unacceptable for amateur gardeners; fog-forming installations are needed. Although some enthusiasts plant cuttings under a jar or under low arcs with film, providing systematic moistening of the soil and air. On selected green cuttings, cut off the leaf blades, leaving 2-3 upper leaves. The cuttings are cut from the current year's growth, and the top of the branch is removed.

Sea buckthorn can also be propagated by seeds, sowing them in the fall. Just be aware that with this method, many of the characteristics of the mother plant may not be preserved. Seedlings grown from seeds are well adapted to growing conditions and produce high yields, but their berries are often small and there are many thorns on the branches. When propagated by seeds, approximately equal numbers of male and female plants are obtained, but their sex can be determined, but not without difficulty, only at the age of 3-4 years. The buds of male plants are larger and round in shape. For a more accurate determination, you should approach an adult male plant, perhaps from a neighbor, and consider the differences in the structure of the buds in male and female plants. For 3-5 female plants, it is enough to plant one male plant.

Sea buckthorn is rarely propagated by grafting. This process is complex. The tissues of grafted cuttings are quite soft, wrinkle at the cut site, and survival rate is usually low. However, you can still try. With skillful handling of grafting materials, the presence of sharply sharpened knives and sufficient dexterity, grafting can be obtained. Sea buckthorn grafting must be used if there is no male plant in the garden or it has died. In this case, 1-2 cuttings of a male plant can be grafted into the crown of a female plant. This should be done early in the spring before the sap begins to flow. The grafted cuttings should have 2-4 unopened buds. Grafting is usually done using improved copulation; other methods can also be used. If the grafting is successful, after 3-4 weeks you will notice whether it worked.

Collection and storage of berries

If there is a strong overload of fruits, wooden supports (slingshots) are placed. The fruits are harvested in the last ten days of August after they acquire a yellow color and elasticity, and always in dry weather. The collection is carried out manually, if they are located sparsely on the branches and are easily torn off (varieties Nivelena and Lyubitelskaya), or by cutting off part of the branches with fruits (variety Krasno-karminnaya), because they are closely collected as if on a cob and it is difficult to pick them off.

Fresh berries are stored in a cool, dark place for no more than 3 days.

(Shrubs and subshrubs)

1. Goncharov A. Let's take care of sea buckthorn // Your 6 acres, No. 23, 2008
2. Nechaev V. It’s easy to propagate sea buckthorn // House in the Garden, November 2008
3. Rabinovich A.M. Medicinal plants on a personal plot.-M.: Rosagropromizdat, 1989
4. Koshcheev A.K., Smirnyakov Yu.I. Wild berries: Handbook - 2nd ed. - M.: Ecology, 1992
5. Isaeva I. Sea buckthorn - Siberian pineapple//Your 6 acres No. 2, 2009
6. Solovyova M. Sea buckthorn from any dash // Gardener’s World No. 19, 2008
7. Mikheev A. We propagate sea buckthorn // Your 6 acres No. 18, 2008
8. Zakotin V. Berries in my garden//Your garden.-Library of the newspaper “Your 6 acres”, No. 9 (85), 2008

Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) is a plant whose leaves (or berries in juice form) are sometimes used as a dietary supplement for general anti-inflammatory and antioxidant purposes. Although it has health benefits, there is no specific literature supporting this dietary supplement.

Sea buckthorn: basic information

Sea buckthorn is also called hippophae rhamnoides, and a food supplement containing it can be made from the leaves of the plant or from the berries; In addition, the berries can be consumed as a dry powder or as an oil. All parts of the plant are bioactive. This plant is a good source of flavonoids, mainly structurally related to quercetin and kaempferol. Also contains procyanidin (chains of catechin molecules) like some other plants, also contains some epigallocatechin and gallocatechin (half the amount found in green tea catechins). Although the unique properties of Sea Buckthorn have not yet been sufficiently studied (hippophin molecules are not yet fully understood), it is a good comprehensive source of essential flavonoids. The historical use of this plant is to improve cardiovascular and blood health, appears to protect the heart in rats, and has an antiplatelet effect when above the recommended dietary supplement dose in otherwise healthy individuals. Other benefits, although not entirely unique to the plant, include rapid wound healing and improved skin quality after oral administration, as well as some major neuroprotective properties. Sea buckthorn is an effective overall health promoter similar to other flavonoids, and although it has significant applications in traditional medicine, highly unique properties or molecules have not yet been discovered in the plant. Currently, Sea Buckthorn can be said to provide health benefits, but there is no evidence that it is more effective than other plants. Other names: Hippophae rhamnoides

On a note!

A dietary supplement containing the leaves and berries of the plant may be available in the form of powder capsules or in the form of berry oil; All parts of the plant are active in the body after oral administration.

Refers to:

• Adaptogens

Sea buckthorn: instructions for use

Sea buckthorn is taken as a dry plant extract (in which both the berries and leaves have benefits) or as a berry oil. Dry extracts of berries and leaves are taken in a dosage of 500-2000 mg. For oil, a slightly higher daily dosage is used (2000-5000 mg).

Sources and composition

Sources

Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides, family Lokhova) is a small shrub (1-5 meters in length) that grows at high altitudes of 7000-15000 m above sea level in the northwestern Himalayas. Its berries are sometimes consumed as juice or wine, and are also used to make oil. The berries and leaves can be used as a dietary supplement. Refers to traditional Chinese medicine, mentioned in Xibu Yidian (Dan Dynasty) and Jing Zhu Ben Cao (Qing Dynasty), first mentioned in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia 1977.

Compound

Sea Buckthorn Components:

In addition to hippofins, Sea Buckthorn contains a wide variety of basic polyphenols with more significant concentrations of quercetin and its analogues (isorhamnetin, quercetin glycosides), as well as procyanidin catechins. Kaempferol is also a major component and is also the main chain for hippophins. Fatty acid composition (fat content found in seed and berry oils, but not in leaves) includes:

Volatile components include:

Vomifoliol

2-Methylbutanoic acid ethyl ester

3-Methylbutanoic acid ethyl ester

Ethyl esters of hexanoic and octanoic acid

3-methylbutyl 2-methylbutanoate and 3-methylbutyl 3-methylbutanoate

Benzoic acid methyl ester

The above components give Sea Buckthorn its flavor and aroma properties, but their health benefits are unknown. The total antioxidant capacity of the plant is about 0.2-18.2% (2,2"-azinobis method) or 0.7-28.2% (TEAC/Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity method), which is similar to Trolox (water soluble Vitamin E) using various analytical methods, higher values ​​are considered more indicative of the plant, since components may be destroyed by other testing methods. Other studies indicate that the content of gallic acid equivalents in Sea Buckthorn is 76.07-93.72 mg/g. leaves (higher at 363 mg/g in aqueous extract), and that Sea Buckthorn has less potency than vitamin C in vitro. Total carotenoid content can vary from 1.5 to 18.5 mg/100 g by weight of fresh berries. found in the seeds compared to the fruit pulp, leaves or stem, despite the fact that the highest content of flavonoids is in the leaves (their lowest content is in the seeds). The total phenolic content in the leaves is 47.06-66.03 mg/g rutin equivalents. . Sea buckthorn has antioxidant properties that are quite significant, but compared to the standard substances used in the study (vitamin E, vitamin C, gallic acid) it has significantly less potential.

Pharmacology

Suction

Sea buckthorn's primary flavonoids (isorhamnetin, kaempferol, and quercetin) are absorbed following oral administration, and undiluted flavonoid suspensions have greater bioavailability than primary flavonoids or self-emulsifying delivery systems. Isolated Sea Buckthorn procyanidins reduce the rate of protein absorption with an EC50 of about 39.8-65.8 μg/ml, and the studied extracts were able to inhibit protein hydrolyzing enzymes in vitro with an efficiency of 57.5-67.7% (trypsin) and 44. 1-60.3% (pepsin). Possibly reduces the rate of protein absorption due to inhibition of protein hydrolysis enzymes. With the consumption of Sea Buckthorn berries and extracts, a delay in peak potential for triglycerides was noted after a test meal in humans, although the mean concentration of triglycerides in urine (an indicator of absorption) remained unchanged. This is mainly due to the fiber component and is similar to results previously presented in the literature regarding the effect of Sea Buckthorn berries on postprandial glycemia (carbohydrate absorption).

Neurology

Appetite

One study in rats using 500-1000 mg/kg ethanol extract of Sea Buckthorn noted a dose-dependent decrease in food intake and an increase in leptin levels, while a study in children (with dyspepsia) noted an increase in leptin and neuropeptide Y levels, which suggests increased appetite. Unclear effect on appetite regulation.

Neuroprotective effect

Supplementation of 50-200 mg/kg Sea Buckthorn (75% ethanol leaf extract) for 21 days prior to scopolamine was able to dose-dependently reduce lipid peroxidation as assessed by MDA concentrations and acetylcholinesterase activity, both levels were normalized at 200 mg/kg. . When taking Sea Buckthorn, preservation of cognitive function is also noted. When taken orally, Sea buckthorn has moderate to significant neuroprotective properties, according to preliminary data.

Stress

A single dose of aqueous extract of Sea Buckthorn leaves has adaptogenic properties in rats in the cold water/hypoxia/restraint test at a dosage of 100 mg/kg 30 minutes prior to the onset of maximum adaptogenic effect (almost 42% recovery) and with the same effectiveness at a dosage of 12 .5 mg/kg. When given at this dosage for five days, the effect of a single dose was not surpassed, and the mechanisms are thought to be related to mitigation of the shift toward glycolytic metabolism during stress testing (or at least glycogen conservation).

Cardiovascular Health

Heart tissue

Isolated isorhamnetin has been noted to inhibit apoptosis in cardiac tissue cells through an antioxidant effect (which subsequently inhibits extracellular regulated kinase activity), and when administered at 5-20 ml/kg oil for 28 days prior to isoproterenol administration, there was a reduction in cardiac tissue damage at the highest dosage in rats.

Platelets

Blood clotting time increased when taking Sea Buckthorn; when 300 mcg/kg of flavones were administered to mice, blood clotting time increased by another 36.7%. In vitro, a concentration of 3 μg/ml was effective in reducing collagen-induced platelet aggregation. Berry oil (made from seeds and berries) has been noted to reduce the rate of ADP-induced aggregation (3%) and maximum platelet aggregation (5-15% depending on ADP concentration) when taken at a dosage of 5000 mg daily for 4 days. -8 weeks compared to control active substance coconut oil.

Blood

Sea buckthorn has shown protective properties against sweating of liquid through blood vessels caused by hypoxia. In rats subjected to experimental erythrocytosis (an increase in blood volume and red blood cells associated with exposure to high altitude), supplementation with 35-140 mg/kg of Sea Buckthorn flavonoids daily for five weeks was able to mitigate the negative changes with equal effectiveness at a dosage of 70-140 mg/kg. kg (with little effectiveness at 35 mg/kg). This has been noted previously with the use of isolated quercetin, as two of its sources, Sea Buckthorn and Ginkgo Biloba, are used to treat ailments associated with climbing to high altitudes.

Fat mass and obesity

Mechanisms

It has been noted that pentamethylquercetin is able to induce adiponectin expression (1-10 μM, but not 0.1-0.3 μM) in differentiated adipocytes (without an inherent effect on lipid accumulation), which is likely due in part to the observed upregulation of receptor mRNA. peroxisome proliferator-activated γ, and partly by reducing the effectiveness of TNF-α and interleukin-6 (negative regulators of adiponectin) by reducing their secretion. However, the amount of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ was subsequently reduced by isorhamnetin, which promotes the suppression of adipogenesis and adiponectin secretion. The methanol extract was noted to inhibit triglyceride accumulation in adipocytes (by 35% at 30 µg/ml), although the chloroform extract was more effective at 82%. The bioactive molecules believed to mediate this effect are triterpenoids (including ursolic acid) and flavonoid aglycones. When an ethanol extract of Sea Buckthorn (1000 mg/kg) was administered to rats, an increase in the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors γ in the liver was observed. Various isolated components of Sea Buckthorn selectively regulate adipocyte function and growth. Overall, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ levels are likely to increase.

Research

Administration of 70% ethanol extract of Sea Buckthorn to mice at a dosage of 500-1000 mg/kg body weight for 13 weeks was associated with reduced weight and fat gain when study participants were fed a fat-inducing diet. Sea buckthorn intake was associated with decreased food absorption, serum leptin concentrations, and liver triglyceride levels. This study noted that the 1000 mg/kg group had 47% lower liver fat levels than the normal diet control group despite receiving a high fat diet (high fat diet control group). there was a 46% increase in dietary fat levels compared to the control group).

Inflammation

Mechanisms

An 80% methanol extract of Sea Buckthorn was found to inhibit nitric oxide production in macrophages with an efficacy of 63% at a concentration of 30 µg/ml. In a study of isolated substances with efficacy, it was found that the components mediating this effect may be kaempferol (IC50 18.2 µM), quercetin (20.6 µM), ursolic acid (17.8 µM), 23-hydroxyurzolic acid (12.5 µM) and pomolyic acid (16 µM). Another study noted a decrease in the release of TNF-α and interleukin-6 from adipocytes in vitro at a concentration of 3-10 μM (isolated pentamethylquercetin).

Research

In hemodialysis patients taking 2000 mg of Sea Buckthorn daily for 8 weeks did not show a significant change in inflammatory biomarkers such as C-reactive protein and white blood cells.

Influence on oxidation processes

Research

One study of hemodialysis patients taking 2000 mg of Sea Buckthorn daily for 8 weeks failed to detect a significant change in the amount of oxidative DNA damage.

Effect on organ systems

Stomach

Sea buckthorn has an antiulcer effect due to its antioxidant properties and the ability to increase the hydrophobic properties of the stomach and slow down gastric emptying depending on the dosage at a concentration of 3.5-7 ml/kg of seed oil or oil extracts. Some antiulcer activity has been noted in horses (against glandular tissue ulcers only) and against acetic acid- and stress-induced gastric ulcers in rats. The seed oil, containing mainly procyanidins and polyphenols, has biologically relevant antiulcer properties in animal studies. No studies have been conducted with human participants.

Liver

Sea Buckthorn aqueous extract is able to prevent oxidative death of hepatocytes caused by hypoxia (leading to increased reactive oxygen species and enzyme release, indicating membrane damage) with effectiveness at 10 µg/ml and almost complete effectiveness at 50 µg/ml. In the liver, when Sea Buckthorn (as wine) was orally administered to mice fed a high-cholesterol diet and oxidative stress, increased hepatic lipid peroxidation and improved serum lipid levels were observed.

Eyes

The use of sea buckthorn oil in a dosage of 2 g daily reduces the symptoms of dry eye in humans. This is likely due to a decrease in the hyperosmolarity of the tear film (involved in the development of dry eye pathology, as it activates inflammatory signaling), but is not associated with a change in the composition of fatty acids in the eye tissues.

Aesthetic medicine

Leather

Oral supplementation containing Sea Buckthorn extract (50 mg/kg) daily for six weeks in irradiated nude mice effectively prevents UV-induced changes in skin quality and wrinkle formation. Has a skin protective effect when taken orally. Sea buckthorn is a traditional remedy for the rapid healing of wounds. Oral administration of Sea Buckthorn oil (2.5 ml/kg for rats), as well as topical application (200 µl) are effective in accelerating wound healing in a burn model, and topical application of isolated flavonoids (1% solution) accelerates the healing of incisions. The healing properties are associated with increased angiogenesis (as assessed by increases in metalloproteinase 2 and 9, as well as vascular endothelial growth factor expression). Oral administration and topical application show similar effectiveness in accelerating wound healing. There is currently no human evidence or comparisons with reference products to assess possible effectiveness.

Safety and toxicity

general information

Acute toxicity study results suggest that the LD50 value for aqueous leaf extract is greater than 10,000 mg/kg body weight in rats when taken daily for 14 days, and a subchronic dose suggests that 1000-2000 mg/kg taken for 14 days does not cause non-toxic changes in the mass of the liver and kidneys.

They sit in very dense groups, almost clinging to the branches, which is why this plant got its name.

Sucker family ( Elagnaceae) surprisingly rich in its varieties. It combines 3 types: sucker ( Eleagnus) , shepherdia ( Shepherdia) And sea ​​​​buckthorn ( Hippophae) , common in Europe, Asia and North America. These are evergreen deciduous trees and shrubs, both dioecious (sea buckthorn, shepherdia) and monoecious (suckers), all similar and dissimilar, but they are all one family - suckers. All parts of plants: shoots, leaves, flowers and fruits are covered with thick silvery star-shaped scales. All three genera are characterized by the presence of root nodules with nitrogen-fixing bacteria that enrich the soil with available nitrogen, thanks to which suckers can not only grow on soils that are very poor in nutrients, but also prepare them for the successful growth of other species.

In the Botanical Garden of Moscow State University, work has been carried out for several decades to select large-fruited varieties of sea buckthorn. The largest and most decorative fruits are from the varieties Vorobyovskaya, Botanicheskaya, Krasnoplodnaya and Nevelena. These varieties have weak spiny shoots.

But if sea buckthorn is known to everyone, then its closest relative Shepherdia silver ( Shepherdia argentea ) is still a rather rare guest in garden plots and is more common in botanical gardens, although this plant has no less advantages. Its homeland is Western North America. Americans have long appreciated it as a fruit plant, which was called buffalo berry, or Nebraska currant. They collect the fruits and make jelly from them. In Russia, shepherdia was introduced into culture by I.V. Michurin.

Shepherdia silver- a beautiful spreading dioecious bush. In Moscow and the Moscow region it grows up to 2.5 m. The shoots are thorny, first silvery, then gray-brown. Male and female specimens of fruiting plants can only be distinguished by their buds. In male plants they are large, round, in female plants they are small and pointed. Flowering begins early, in April, before the leaves appear. Male flowers are collected in short spikelets, female flowers are usually solitary. The flowers are yellow, covered with silvery scales, and are frost-resistant. Blooms for 10 days.

The fruits are round or ovoid drupes, up to 10 mm in diameter, red, juicy, sweet and sour, with an original flavor reminiscent of red currants. The fruits are harvested in late October-early November after the first frost, although they begin to ripen from the end of July. Shepherdia fruits are a storehouse of vitamins. In terms of sugar content and vitamin C content (more than 250 mg/100 g), shepherdia is several times superior to its relative sea buckthorn. They are used fresh and dried to make jam, juices, compotes and tinctures.

The presence of thorny branches, good tolerance to pruning, low branching and a dense crown allows Shepherdia to be used to create impenetrable hedges. In the latter case, the plants are planted thickened in one row every 0.5-0.7 m. To reduce the height of the crown and give the hedge the required shape and density, the plants are cut and trimmed. Plants with silver leaves and bright red fruit beads are highly decorative. In addition, they can be successfully used in phytomeliorative plantings and protective forest belts. This plant is frost-resistant and undemanding to growing conditions.

And the largest species-wise in the family is the genus Sucker, which has about 50 species. They mainly grow in temperate latitudes of Asia and the Mediterranean. The sucker was introduced into culture in ancient times and, to some extent, replaced dates for the peoples of Central Asia.

The most famous in culture is Eleven angustifolia ( Eleagnus angustifolia) . Under natural conditions, Elf angustifolia grows along the banks of rivers in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Northern China. In the middle zone, it grows as a tall bush - from 3 to 5 m in height, or, as in nature, as a tree. Shoots with thorns. It got its name because of the oblong shape of the leaves. They are very pleasant to the touch, soft, grayish-green on top and silvery-white underneath. The flowers are very fragrant, orange-yellow inside and silvery outside. Flowering duration is 15-20 days.

Elf angustifolia begins to bear fruit at the age of 5-6 years. The abundant drupes are ellipsoidal in shape, 14 mm long and 10 mm wide. At first, the fruits are light green in color, with numerous silvery scales, and are hardly noticeable among the foliage. By the time of ripening, at the end of September, the fruits acquire a yellow-brown, olive color and are no longer covered with scales. The pulp of the fruit is not juicy, but mealy, crumbly, and sweet. It may not seem tasty to everyone, but it is nutritious: it contains up to 60% sugars, 10% proteins, up to 45 mg/100 g of vitamin C, potassium salts and phosphorus. Due to the low water content, the fruits are well preserved fresh. A fruiting oleaster tree produces 6-8 kg of fruit. The fruits of Eleven angustifolia are consumed raw and as a seasoning for various dishes. They are used for preparing compotes and porridges. Delicious sweet confectionery products that do not go stale for a long time are baked from flour, to which the pulp of the oleaster fruit is mixed. In folk medicine, oleaster fruits are used as a general strengthening and tonic remedy for cardiovascular and gastrointestinal diseases. A decoction of the leaves is used for colds and fever.

This plant withstands conditions of heavy smoke and air pollution well, and has phytoncidal properties. Thanks to its well-developed root system and the ability to form adventitious roots, angustifolia oleaster is suitable for strengthening the soil on slopes. It is also used to create hedges and roadside protective strips. Loch is quite heat-resistant and winter-hardy and tolerates frosts down to -30º C.

To create calm compositions in silver tones, a good choice would be Silver goof ( Eleagnus argentea) . Its height does not exceed 4 m, its leaves are ovoid, leathery, silvery on both sides. They do not change color until the leaves fall. In its homeland, North America, it is also called silver berry, and for its resemblance to an olive it is also called wild olive. At the end of May - June, the oleaster blooms, and the pleasant aroma spread by small, bell-like flowers (yellow inside, silver outside) can be felt for several meters. Flowering lasts 2-3 weeks, and all this time the smell does not weaken and attracts bees. In August-September, silvery fruits ripen - oval or round, about 1 cm in size. They are edible, but their flesh is dry, mealy and tastes bland. To prepare them for future use, they are ground with sugar and some sour fruits are added, since oleaster berries are sweet. In addition to making jam, lox is salted or pickled, producing a product similar to olives. Elf is a monoecious plant, so one bush is enough to set fruit. The plant grows slowly - annual growth is about 10 cm. At the age of 15 years, specimens have a height of about 2.5 m. The lifespan of the plant is up to 80 years. When planting oleaster, choose a sunny place for it. It is not afraid of wind, so it can grow in windy areas and can withstand slight shading. It is not picky about soil fertility and acidity levels - it prefers loams and sandy loams, but grows on any soil, including rocky ones. Tolerates relative drought and periods of spring flooding, and slight soil salinity. The plant is quite winter-hardy. Silver oleaster is beautiful as a tapeworm and in groups, in contrasting compositions (with dark conifers or red-leaved plants). When planting in groups, you need to take into account the diameter of the crown of each plant; for the oleaster it reaches 2.5-2.8 m. In decorative compositions, the silver oleagin is a universal plant and can be combined with almost the entire natural color palette.

Elaeagnus multiflora or gummi in wider culture is not as well known as previous species. It is a one and a half meter shrub with oblong-oval leaves, the upper side of which is dark green and shiny, and the reverse side is matte with a silver-metallic sheen.

The homeland of gum is central China, where it has long been revered as a magical, mysterious plant that gives strength and rejuvenates the body. Gummi is very decorative during flowering, its flowers are elongated, bell-shaped with a surprisingly pleasant and unique aroma that attracts bees, so gummi is also an excellent honey plant. It begins to bear fruit at 3-5 years. The fruits are bright red, covered with silver dots, and resemble dogwood in appearance. They begin to ripen in the middle - end of July, sometimes at the end of August if the summer is cool and rainy. Usually the shape of the fruit is cylindrical, up to 2 cm long and about 1 cm in diameter. They “sit” on thin long stalks. Inside each fruit there is a stone with a grooved surface. The taste of gum is sweet and sour, pleasantly refreshing, especially in conditions of lack of moisture. The taste of the fruit is reminiscent of ripe persimmon or figs. Gummi fruits can be eaten fresh (as a dessert), frozen and used to decorate dishes in winter, as well as dried and used in decoctions or infusions. Many delicious products can be prepared from the fruits of the oleaster multiflorum: jam, sweet jelly, rich juices and strong, pleasant wines. A total of 17 amino acids were found in fruits, including 7 essential ones. There is several times more vitamin C in the leaves than in the well-known black currant. Therefore, development is currently underway to produce medicinal herbal teas for the prevention of acute respiratory infections and influenza. It is best to plant gummi on the south side. The plant does not tolerate acidic soils. The bush begins to bear fruit at the age of five, yielding up to 4 kg of berries per bush.