Sea buckthorn is a deciduous shrub with beautiful bright orange berries that has been used for millennia as food and medicine. Native to China and parts of Europe, sea buckthorn thrives in harsh conditions and high altitudes—especially in the Himalayas, where records of its use in Tibetan medicine date back to the eighth century.
The Latin name for sea buckthorn is “Hippophae,” which comes from the Greek word “hippo,” for horse, and “phaos,” meaning “shine.” Sea buckthorn was fed to horses by the ancient Greeks to endow them with shiny, luxurious coats. It’s also known as sea berry and Siberian pineapple.
