Orange September Sea Buckthorn

The Orange September Sea Buckthorn, released in 2005 by Bill Schroeder via COPF, is a cultivar specifically selected for optimal performance in the Canadian Prairies. It originates from an open-pollinated seedling of Zyrianka, a well-established, resilient, and highly productive Russian variety.

Orange September yields 8-10 kg of fruit per plant, with berries that mature later, ripening in early September. The medium-sized orange berries weigh approximately 65 grams per 100 berries and offer a distinctly sweeter taste. Its flavour profile harmonizes sweet and sour elements, enhanced by lively zesty notes and delicate tropical hints such as pineapple and mango. This cultivar features few soft thorns limited to branch tips, making it ideal for manual harvesting and a strong candidate for food forests or shelterbelts.

The Sea Buckthorn berry is high in vitamins C, E, K, carotenes, flavonoids, amino acids and is high in antioxidants. Equally impressive are its uses: jams, jellies, sauces, wine, tea and why not get creative and make a wonderful sorbet, also excellent to add to your homemade skin-care products!

The Sea Buckthorn shrub is very hardy and will adapt to a variety of soil conditions. Drought tolerant once established after a few seasons, it is nitrogen fixing and tends to sucker if not controlled. 

Growers Note: Orange September is the female cultivar and will need the male plant Lord planted nearby for pollination. We recommend a maximum of 7 female plants to each male. Although drought tolerant once established, it is recommended that Sea Buckthorn have regular watering or irrigation for the first few seasons.

Note on Responsible Planting:
Sea buckthorn is a hardy, fruit-producing shrub with many benefits, but it can spread in certain conditions. While our cultivars are selected for fruit production rather than aggressive growth, we encourage growers to check their local regulations, as some counties have classified them as invasive. Responsible planting and proper management are essential to protect native and riparian areas, ensuring a balanced and thriving landscape.

Hardiness Zone: 2

Height at Maturity: 2.4 m (8 feet)

Spread: 2 m (6 feet)  

Soil Preference: Well drained 

Light Exposure: Full sun

Pollination: Self-sterile (Needs a Male pollinator tree) 

Latin Name: Hippophae rhamnoides 'Orange September'