Sea Buckthorn aka Seaberry
The plants aren't cheap and they're dioecious, so you've got to buy at least 2. Often they are displayed opposite Aronias (which I've bought, but found too astringent) so I've never bought these. Some folks say they only grow well in sandy areas.
Are they as tasty as they sound? And as productive as they say? Anyone tried growing these?
The following thread was started by Mike Lee on September 29, 2006 at 2:11 pm PST
Hyppophae rhamnoides: nutritious but tart
I have tasted the fruit while at my friends homestead in the San Juan Islands WA, and found them to be quite tart, though it was just the first fruits of the season (mid August). The pea size berries really do load up on the tall, lanky shrubs. Friends who have tasted the fully mature fruit say that they never really get 'sweet' (juice has pH of 3!).
The best way my friends have found to make it more palatable is similar to what many cranberry farmers have done: blend with sweet juices. Carrot and/or apple juice blended with Seaberry juice makes a tasty high energy drink in the fall. They say its great for fending off the colds common in the beginning of the rainy season.
The varieties my friends have are not the new releases that claim to be dwarfing, and actually sweet. It would be interesting to see if some of those sweet selections would grow here.
The main benefits of this plant are the combination of its fantastic nutritional and medicinal values with its use in soil conservation in extremely dry and cold conditions. This is critical in harsh northern interior continental climes with little agricltural potential.
Because of this adaptability it may have great potential to become weedy, the enormous production spread easily by birds.
see the link below for an interesting article from a traditional Chinese medicinal perspective.
The above followup was added by John Valenzuela Novato, CA on September 29, 2006 at 4:11 pm PST.
I have tasted the fruit while at my friends homestead in the San Juan Islands WA, and found them to be quite tart, though it was just the first fruits of the season (mid August). The pea size berries really do load up on the tall, lanky shrubs. Friends who have tasted the fully mature fruit say that they never really get 'sweet' (juice has pH of 3!).
The best way my friends have found to make it more palatable is similar to what many cranberry farmers have done: blend with sweet juices. Carrot and/or apple juice blended with Seaberry juice makes a tasty high energy drink in the fall. They say its great for fending off the colds common in the beginning of the rainy season.
The varieties my friends have are not the new releases that claim to be dwarfing, and actually sweet. It would be interesting to see if some of those sweet selections would grow here.
The main benefits of this plant are the combination of its fantastic nutritional and medicinal values with its use in soil conservation in extremely dry and cold conditions. This is critical in harsh northern interior continental climes with little agricltural potential.
Because of this adaptability it may have great potential to become weedy, the enormous production spread easily by birds.
see the link below for an interesting article from a traditional Chinese medicinal perspective.
The above followup was added by John Valenzuela Novato, CA on September 29, 2006 at 4:12 pm PST.
I have tasted the fruit while at my friends homestead in the San Juan Islands WA, and found them to be quite tart, though it was just the first fruits of the season (mid August). The pea size berries really do load up on the tall, lanky shrubs. Friends who have tasted the fully mature fruit say that they never really get 'sweet' (juice has pH of 3!).
The best way my friends have found to make it more palatable is similar to what many cranberry farmers have done: blend with sweet juices. Carrot and/or apple juice blended with Seaberry juice makes a tasty high energy drink in the fall. They say its great for fending off the colds common in the beginning of the rainy season.
The varieties my friends have are not the new releases that claim to be dwarfing, and actually sweet. It would be interesting to see if some of those sweet selections would grow here.
The main benefits of this plant are the combination of its fantastic nutritional and medicinal values with its use in soil conservation in extremely dry and cold conditions. This is critical in harsh northern interior continental climes with little agricltural potential.
Because of this adaptability it may have great potential to become weedy, the enormous production spread easily by birds.
see the link below for an interesting article from a traditional Chinese medicinal perspective.
The above followup was added by John Valenzuela Novato, CA on September 29, 2006 at 4:12 pm PST.
David
The above followup was added by DavidLJ48, Waterford CA, zone9 on September 29, 2006 at 7:27 pm PST.
Maybe I'll buy a few and stick them out on this rocky bank where I've also got some figs.
My recollection of the Raintree varieties don't seem to make any claim to be sweet though a few are said to be dwarfing. Though I don't mind sour. I just can't take astringent!
While I think it's quite interesting when there's some herbal benefits of a fruit, too often these seem to be associated with fruit that don't really taste good. Noni comes to mind. I just about gagged on that one.
Does anyone extol the health benefits of eating cherimoyas?
The above followup was added by Mike Lee on September 29, 2006 at 8:55 pm PST.
Of course if something has a fruit, even a large interesting looking one, it doesn't mean it is worth eating- noni is definitely not worth eating (well perhaps famine food), but many swear by benefits of consuming it in various ways.
Lately with the increased interest in ant-oxidents, many fruits and berries (pomegranite, blueberries. . .) have been marketed as tasty and good for your healthI was thumbing through a One Green World catalog from 2005 and found some selections of Sea Berry varieties from Buryatian (a republic north of Mongolia bordering Lake Baikal) that they acutally describe as sweet- I'm sure that's a relative term. The ones I had may have been tart, but they were not astringent.
When I looked at the One Green World web site for current Sea Berry offerings, I noticed that these unique selections form this region were mixed with the other selections from Russia and Germany.
Look for 'Buryatian' and 'Baikal' in the selection name. According the old print catalog I have, all of the following selections were developed there and are dwarf and sweet(?):
Amber Dawn
Baikal
Baikal Ruby
Golden Siberia
Klim's Prize
and don't forget a 'Buryat male' for pollenation
good luck
The above followup was added by John Valenzuela, Novato CA on October 01, 2006 at 7:53 pm PST.
John I went back to Raintree and did see that some are labeled "sweet". I'll put them on my list for next spring. One Green World does have more of a selection. I did buy some paw paws from them 2 years ago.
I'm also hoping to get the paw paws I ordered from Petersonpawpaws, but now I'm starting to wonder if we have enough heat to ripen them. Does anyone fruit paw paws in Marin?
The above followup was added by Mike Lee on October 02, 2006 at 1:37 pm PST.
I have not heard of anyone with fruiting pawpaws here in Marin, but I defer to Paul who has done much research.
I am hopeful for some fruits in the future from some paw paw seedlings I have sprouted, and selections I purchased from Harmony Farm Supply last spring.
I have posted more paw paw thoughts in a new thread.
The above followup was added by John Valenzuela, Novato CA on October 03, 2006 at 9:48 am PST.
Mike and John, pawpaws can definitely be fruited in Sonoma and Marin. I am not so sure if I qualify as a resident expert, but I have done a fair amount of research on them...and I am just now beginning to fruit my trees here in Marin.
With respect to Sonoma county, I have spoken to a CRFG'er in Sonoma County who has a very large collection of pawpaws, which fruit for him regularly up there. And of course, it is worth recognizing that a lot of people growing pawpaws (and selling pawpaw trees) are much further North, up in Oregon and Washington.
There is always a lot to be said about pawpaws (me, say a lot?) but I will spare you. Briefly, my present information suggests that the best cultivars are Neal Peterson's selections, and the Overleese cultivar. So Mike, I would say that I think you are on the right track already.
On the other hand, with respect to that seaberry...let's just say I have my doubts and suspicions. I look forward to tasting fresh, sweet seaberry fruit!? Hmmm....
The above followup was added by Paul on October 03, 2006 at 2:26 pm PST.
Dear Sir or Madam:
We produce and supply the following products:
Product: seabuckthorn oil and powder;
Nutrient Components: High content of vitamin C(1500mg/100g), more than
30
flavonoid compounds, more than 20 animo acids, 20 micro elements, more
than
10 unsaturated fatty acids, 200 bioactive substances, including
alkaloids,terpenoids and phosphatides.
Functions: Improve antifatigue ability, anti-age, stop carcinogen
production a nd control cancer cell growth, radiation hardening,
cholesterol
decrease, prevent high blood pressure and stroke, cure tracheitis, asthma,
gastric ulcer, enteritis and diarrhea. In addition, it can ease pain
efficiently.
Applications: Nutrition health products, functional foods, assistant
therapeutic agent of radiotherapy and chemical treatment, baby foods,
middle
and old age foods, cosmetics and pharmaceutical materials.
Looking forward to your inquiries.
Sincerely yours,
Aaron Lee
Rishon Biochem
155#, North Emei Road,
Deyang, Sichuan,
P.R.China, 618000
Tel: 86 838 8941069
Fax: 86 838 2565278
Email: aaron@rishonbiochem.com
Website: www.rishonbiochem.com
The above followup was added by Aaron Lee on November 04, 2006 at 4:28 am PST.