Wild berries along Lion Tail Ridge. Sea buckthorn (*Hippophae rhamnoides*), also known as common sea buckthorn, is a thorny, deciduous perennial small tree or shrub belonging to the genus *Hippophae*. Its specific epithet “rhamnoides” originates from Greek, meaning “resembling buckthorn.” It is native to the temperate and cold-temperate regions of Asia and Europe. Sea buckthorn is highly effective for windbreaking and sand fixation. Its berries are edible and used to make beverages, and they also hold significant cosmetic and medicinal value. As a deciduous shrub, it typically grows between two and four metres in height, featuring coarse, rough branches, blackish bark, and lanceolate leaves. It flowers three years after planting, is dioecious, and relies on the wind for pollination and seed dispersal.
