Seaberry (Buckthorn) Information

MALE AND FEMALE PLANTS ARE NEEDED FOR FRUIT
A new and unique fruiting plant for North America. Highly valued in Russia, China and Eastern Europe, it has only been used as a wildlife and shelter belt plant in our country. Very ornamental, with whorls or greyish green leaves and in the fall, the branches are covered with large clusters of bright orange berries. Tasty and healthful, the berries are an excellent source of vitamin C and make a delicious juice. A very tough and hardy plant, it can grow in poor sandy or gravelly soils and demands little care. Needs at least 1/2 day of sun, is hardy to -40 degrees F, needs no fertilizer except on poor soil which will require an annual application of slow-acting organic fertilizer. Plant 6 ft. apart and expect berries 3 years after planting. Requires 1 male for each 10 female. Our varieities are from Europe with large and tasty fruit.

Sea Berry requires an exposed location with at least 1/2 day of sun. Adaptable to all but very heavy and wet soils. Sea Berry blooms in April and is wind pollinated. A male and a female plant are required to produce fruit. They should be planted within 20 feet of each other.

The plant is hardy to minus 40° F. The flowers are very hardy and are not injured by late spring frosts. Pruning is rarely needed. Prune mostly to remove dead branches and shaping.

Usually no fertilizer is necessary. On very poor soils, annual applications of manure or other slow-acting organic fertilizers will help keep growth vigorous and healthy. We have seen no signs of pest and disease problems either here or in Europe. Seaberry plants usually begins bearing at 3 yrs. of age.

Varieties ripen from August to October. Small quantities are gathered annually by hand. Commercial plantings are harvested by machine by cutting off entire fruit-laden branches. When harvesting in this manner, fruit is harvested every other year.