Blue Pagoda Honeyberry

Sea Berry

Hippophae rhamnoides

Very popular in Eastern Europe, Russia and China, Sea Berry is not well known to gardeners in North America. A fine ornamental shrub with graceful, grayish-green foliage, it is particularly striking in late summer when it is covered by abundant, bright orange berries. Tart and flavorful, these nutritious berries are an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and E. They make delicious juice and contain medicinally valuable oil. Sea Berry is happy in most soils, is hardy to 40° F and is not bothered by pests or diseases. It is wind pollinated and a male and female plant are required for fruit production.

German Sea Berry

These valuable varieties are from a breeding program headed by the late breeder Hans-Joachim Albrecht in Berlin. Beginning in 1971, he selected and hybridized these varieties from plants growing in regions around the Baltic Sea. Fruit from these varieties is used for commercial juice production in Germany and the plants are well adapted to continental and coastal climates. These varieties ripen later and the plants are typically more vigorous than our Russian varieties. They can grow 8 to 12 feet in height and their fruit has a higher acid content and makes delicious juice by itself or in a blend with Russian varieties.

Widely grown and very popular in northern Japan, this valuable variety is prized for its abundant crops of large, sweet and flavorful, dark blue berries. Blue Pagoda™ grows to 4 to 5 feet in height.