Hippophae rhamnoides is also known by the common names sea buckthorn, sallow thorn, swallow thorn and willow thorn. It is a large, deciduous shrub species that produces thin, willow-like foliage with a silver colouration and thorny shoots. Small, yellow-green flowers lead onto attractive, bright orange berries. These are only produced on female plants as this species is dioecious and thus produces male and female flowers on individual plants. The berries are edible and nutritious but have a sour, astringent taste and are much better consumed after cooking as raw they are rather oily and not very nice to eat.