The fine silver foliage of the sea buckthorn ‘Orange Russian’ (female) (Hippophae rhamnoides) turns heads. As the summer season passes, the branches become colored and bulge with orange clusters that cause stiff necks for the entire neighborhood. The ‘Orange Russian’ variety is relatively early, with fruits among the least acidic. It is also a variety with few thorns.

This is your northern citrus fruit, to be eaten fresh and easy to preserve in juice all year round. Exploding with vitamin C, it replaces the ubiquitous lemon in so many recipes, from a simple vinaigrette to meringue pie to seafood. Further south, this tip is not valid since the fruits ripen too early and winter sets in too late. One of the rare fruit trees to offer juicy yields that are almost exaggerated in poor soil, sea buckthorn is satisfied with nitrogen from the air.

For optimal yields, the male pollen of ‘Pollmix‘ and ‘Gnom‘, dispersed by the wind, fertilizes at least 6 females, depending on the planting pattern which must respect a maximum spacing of 30 meters between the male and the most distant female, and possibly on the direction of the prevailing winds. The male produces the pollen. The female bears the fruits. Its vigorous suckering requires some control. The sea buckthorn ‘Orange Russian’ tolerates pollution and salt spray. Nitrogen fixer.

Replaces: lemon, pineapple, citrus fruits… Pairing: fish and seafood, vinaigrettes, spicy tacos, tofu or orange chicken without orange, pineapple ham without pineapple, lemon tart without lemon, choco-mint and sorbet.