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Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides)


Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides)

Effect:

appetite stimulant, immune-boosting, antipyretic, strengthening, analgesic, astringent, worm-expelling


Areas of application:

Colds, increases the body's own defenses during flu season, feverish infections, reduces bleeding gums, relieves skin diseases, headaches, feelings of listlessness, lack of concentration, circulatory problems, rheumatic complaints, radiation damage, activates the immune system and metabolism, wounds, radiation damage such as X-rays and sunburn, burns, stomach and intestinal diseases


Plant parts used:

Berries, flowering shoots, twigs, leaves


Collection time:

August to September


To find:

Protected plants. Sea buckthorn is rarely found on the banks of streams and rivers, in hedges and on embankments.


Ingredients:

Vitamins A, C, D, E, F and K, B vitamins, minerals, tannins, flavonoids, carotene


Other:

☕ Tea: Pour 1/4 liter of cold water over 1 teaspoon of flowers and heat to the boil, then let it steep briefly. 3 cups per day are sufficient.


Sea buckthorn is considered a remedy to ward off sorcery and witchcraft.


When collecting the berries, you should take a cloth with you, which you can place under the bush and then use scissors to cut the fruits from the branches.


Sea buckthorn is an oil willow plant that is native to the sandy, rough coastal, but also stream and river regions of Europe and Asia. The shrub can grow up to 5 meters high and then becomes tree-like. Its branches are smooth and reddish brown and full of thorns. The leaves are narrow and silvery. The shrub forms large root runners, which is why it is also planted to preserve dune landscapes on coasts. Small flowers appear from March to May, from which the bright orange fruits ripen by autumn. The tart peel encloses the juicy pulp.


In the kitchen, sea buckthorn can be juiced raw or frozen and processed into jam, jelly, fruit puree and fruit juice. The berries can also be used as dried fruit, as a spice, liqueur and fruit wine. Sea buckthorn fruits are also traditionally used as an aromatic ingredient in herbal and fruit teas. Ripe sea buckthorn berries contain special fatty acids, which is why they often have a slightly rancid aftertaste. The seeds are used to produce high-quality vegetable oil for skin care products and food supplements, as is the fruit pulp oil, which is more valuable from the manufacturer's point of view. According to studies by the universities of Dresden and Sofia, there are no known side effects from taking sea buckthorn oil or juice, even over long periods of time.


In Central Europe, sea buckthorn seed oil has recently been included in numerous cosmetic products.


Depending on the author, there are several subspecies of Hippophae rhamnoides L. (selection):


  • Carpathian sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides subsp. carpatica Rousi): It is mainly found in forests and bushes in dry, warm pre-alpine locations. It is originally found in Germany, Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania and the former Yugoslavia. It is considered a characteristic species of the association (Salici-Hippophaetum rhamnoidis). Its shoots grow straight. The berries are spherical and form lanceolate to narrowly egg-shaped seeds. In Central Europe it is a characteristic species of the Salici-Hippophaetum from the Berberidion association.


  • Hippophae rhamnoides subsp. caucasica Rousi: This subspecies occurs in Europe in Romania and Bulgaria.


  • Mountain sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides subsp. fluviatilis Soest): It is found mainly in pre-alpine areas and is characterized by long, flexible branches, 3 to 6 millimeter wide leaves and oval, non-flattened seeds. Its armor is less pronounced. In Central Europe it is a characteristic species of the Salici-Hippophaetum rhamnoidis from the Berberidion association. It originally occurs in Spain, France, Germany, Austria, Italy and Romania.


  • Coastal sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L. subsp. rhamnoides, syn.: Hippophae rhamnoides subsp. maritima Soest, Hippophae litoralis Salisb.): It is mainly found in the dunes of the coastal regions and is the characteristic species of the coastal sea buckthorn-dune willow-shrub association (Hippophaeo-Salicetum arenariae). It has a very thorny appearance. Its short branches stand stiffly upright. The shoots are often twisted and knotty. The mostly cylindrical, orange-red to yellow fruits contain elliptical, flattened seeds. In Central Europe it is a characteristic species of the Hippophaeo-Salicetum arenariae from the Salicion arenariae association. In Europe it is native to France, Germany and Romania. (Wikipedia)

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