Shepherdia - foreign sea buckthorn
Shepherdia is a representative of the sucker family, which came from North America. For its family connection and similar appearance, shepherdia is popularly nicknamed American sea buckthorn. Its genus is small and includes only 3 species. Round-leaved shepherdia has poor winter hardiness, Canadian shepherdia does not have nutritious fruits, so Silver shepherdia has become the most popular.
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What is she, shepherdia?
Among the people, shepherdia has more than 20 names, depending on how this plant is called. The most common names are: buffalo, rabbit or bull berry, Nebraska currant, crucified berry, but more often American sea buckthorn.
Shepherdia appears spreading bush, growing up to 6 meters in height. Sometimes, during the pruning process, one trunk is left in the bush, and shepherdia is grown in the form of a tree. The branches are powerful and intertwined. They have sharp spines. Young shoots are silver in color, becoming brownish over time.
Shepherdia leaves are oblong, covered on both sides with fine fluff, giving a silvery tint. Shepherdia blooms before the leaves appear, in April-early May for 7-12 days. The flowers are collected in small inflorescences, small, yellow in color. The plant is dioecious and cross-pollinated. The male plant has large round flower buds. The female plant's flower buds are smaller and have a pointed tip.
Fruiting begins at the 2-3rd year of the plant.The fruits are oblong red drupes with a sweet and sour taste and a slight bitterness. They ripen at the end of summer, but are often harvested after the first frost, when the bitterness disappears.
Shepherdia is grown not only as a fruit, but also as ornamental plant. It takes pride of place in landscape design and is used for single and group plantings. It produces fairly dense hedges that lend themselves well to decorative pruning.
Planting and care
Silver shepherdia is a fairly unpretentious, frost-resistant plant. It tolerates drought well and is resistant to many diseases. Shepherdia is undemanding to soil composition and can grow on sandy, rocky and saline soils.
Choose a sunny place for shepherdia. Planting is done in the spring, but can also be done in the fall. Seedlings are planted at a distance of at least 2 meters from each other. For a hedge at a distance of 0.5 m. For 3-5 female seedlings, one male seedling is enough. If you are planning a single planting, you can graft a male branch onto a female tree. A hole is prepared for the seedlings, peat or manure is added to a depth of 50-70 cm.
On the roots of the plant there are small tubers, when planting, it is very important not to damage them and distribute them evenly inside the hole. Cover the roots carefully and do not compact the soil too much. After planting, the plant is generously filled with water and sprinkled with dry soil on top. Can be mulched.
Shepherdia is unpretentious in care. The soil around the seedling is weeded and loosened. The young plant is watered regularly. Shepherdia needs pruning. Every year the bush is thinned out and dry branches are removed. For hedges, make arbitrary pruning and remove dried parts.Once every 5 years, rejuvenating pruning is performed and old branches are replaced with young ones.
American sea buckthorn breeds seeds, cuttings and root suckers. When propagated by seeds, the plant will bear fruit only for 4-5 years. Seeds are sown in autumn, shoots appear in spring. The germination percentage most often exceeds 80%. When propagated by root cuttings, shepherdia bears fruit in the 3rd year. For propagation by cuttings, use green shoots, soak them for a day in stimulating solutions and stick them into moist nutrient soil.
Cover the top with cellophane. After 3 weeks, the seedlings take root. The main thing is not to forget to take cuttings from female and male plants. As you can see, shepherdia is quite unpretentious in care, easily reproduces and grows in any soil, and its fruits have many useful properties.
Beneficial features
Shepherdia is a natural source of vitamins and minerals. Its fruits can compete with citrus fruits in terms of vitamin C content. And in terms of the amount of oily substances and catechins, it overtook sea buckthorn. What other beneficial substances are contained in shepherdia?
Chemical composition of berries:
- Sahara
- Ascorbic acid
- Organic acids
- Tannins
- Carotene
- Pectin
- Vitamins C, P
- Lycopene
Shepherdia is used for:
- Strengthening blood vessels
- Enhance immunity
- Treatment of flu, colds
- Prevention of heart disease
- Fighting viral infections
- Prevention of cancer
- Pressure stabilization
Shepherdia berries are used fresh, frozen or dried. Compotes are prepared from them, medicinal tinctures, jam, jelly and jelly. They are added to desserts, baked goods and main courses. The berries are used to add piquancy to sauces for meat and fish dishes.
Shepherdia is famous for its longevity; one plant can bear fruit annually for up to 50 years. 15-20 kg of berries are collected from each bush. Shepherdia is easy to care for, is not afraid of diseases and pests, and grows in the harshest conditions. Shepherdia fruits are a real source of health and longevity. Shepherdia is a worthy resident of any personal plot.
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