Sea Buckthorn (Seaberry) vs Western Chokecherry - TreeTime.ca

Sea Buckthorn (Seaberry) vs Western Chokecherry

Hippophae rhamnoides l.

Prunus virginiana var. demissa

Sea Buckthorn (Seaberry)
Western Chokecherry

Sea Buckthorn, aka Seaberry, is a nitrogen fixing shrub that produces attractive berries high in vitamin C.

While we can't confirm claims that the berries are effective in treating various ailments, many people believe consuming the berries helps with arthritis, infections, and asthma, among other things.

Sea Buckthorn plants have attractive pale silvery-green leaves, dense branches, and large thorns, people like to grow in ornamental hedges or as a first row in a shelterbelt.

Note: Sea Buckthorn is dioecious, meaning male and female flowers grow on separate plants. Both are required for fruit production, though only female plants bear fruit. A plant’s sex typically cannot be identified until its third or fourth year. Our seedlings are too young to determine their sex.

Western Chokecherry is a shrub or small tree commonly used for farmstead and field windbreaks.

It produces white flowers in the spring and edible dark purple fruit that matures between September and October. Its cherries are great for making for making jams, jellies or wine, but are not very palatable for raw eating.

Sea Buckthorn (Seaberry) Quick Facts

Western Chokecherry Quick Facts

Lowest Price: $1.29 - SAVE UP TO 82%
Lowest Price: $9.99
Zone: 2b
Zone: 2a
Height: 5 m (15 ft)
Height: 7 m (23 ft)
Spread: 4 m (12 ft)
Spread: 5 m (16 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: fast
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Suckering: high
Suckering: low


Toxicity: toxic to horses, cattle, etc.)
Foliage: slender silvery-green leaves
Fall colour: reddish-purple
Berries: small, edible
Berries: edible, astringent, red-purple
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no

In row spacing: 0.9 - 1.2 m (3 - 4 ft)

Between row spacing: 5 m (16 ft)
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB
Other Names: sallowthorn, sandthorn, seaberry
Other Names: bitter-berry, chokecherry, common chokecherry, virginia bird berry