Female sea buckthorn 'Mary' - Zone 4

Sea buckthorn prefers slightly acidic (pH 6.4 to 6.8), sandy, well-drained soils. This species requires full sun exposure to survive. A sea buckthorn plant does not tolerate shade and tends to lose its leaves or even die in overly shaded conditions. Since the shrub is capable of fixing atmospheric nitrogen in the soil, it toler tolerates poor soils quite well.

For small quantities, sea buckthorn is harvested by hand, starting from the inside of the branch outwards, to avoid thorns. For large quantities, it is possible to cut the sea buckthorn branches and put them in the freezer.

At maturity, this shrub is 10 to 15 feet tall.

Sea buckthorn is a dioecious species, meaning that an individual plant bears either male or female flowers, and none of its flowers are perfect (a botanical term meaning that a single flower has both male and female organs). Male sea buckthorn plants are therefore necessary at a ratio of 1 male plant to 6 female plants to achieve good fruit production. Sea buckthorn pollination is wind-driven, so it is wise to place the male plant upwind of prevailing winds.

The ‘Mary’ cultivar, also known by its original name ‘Marija Bruvele’, was developed in Latvia by horticulturist Andresj Bruvelis. It was obtained by crossing the ‘Sunny’ variety with a Latvian male plant.