Sea buckthorn «EXCELLENT» is a highly productive, medium-sized shrub (up to 4–5 m) without thorns or root prickles, making it convenient for garden and landscape use. The canopy opens out in a wide, slightly rounded shape, while the leaves are light green with a yellowish bloom on the underside, measuring 5–6 cm in length. The plant develops quickly with proper watering and feeding, forming a dense bush with good fruiting already after the first years of growth.
The berries of «EXCELLENT» are large (average diameter 1.2–1.6 cm), weighing from 0.7 to 0.9 g. They have a rich orange color with a reddish tint and a sour-sweet taste, making them suitable for raw consumption as well as for making compotes, jams, preserves, desserts, and oil. Fruit bearing begins after 4–5 years from planting, and the yield of one bush reaches 10–15 kg per year.
Sea buckthorn «EXCELLENT» is distinguished by high resistance to adverse climatic conditions: frost-hardy down to -10 °C (in some sources – down to -35 °C), drought-tolerant, and handles both light fertile soils and heavier soils well with proper mulching. The plant prefers sunny locations but does not tolerate strong wind gusts well; therefore, it is best planted in a sheltered spot.
Care for the bush includes regular watering (35–40 L of water per bush at the beginning of growth and up to 60 L/season during heat), twice-yearly feeding with nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus fertilizers, and pruning after snow to remove old branches. Thanks to its decorative appeal and fertility, «EXCELLENT» is a popular choice for both private gardens and commercial berry production.
