Hippophae 'Friend' – a medium-sized shrub with a height ranging from 1.5 to 3 meters, featuring a spreading crown and weak spreading growth. The branches are straight, thin, and thornless, making the plant convenient for care and fruit harvesting.
Fruits of this variety have a medium size – from 0.8 to 1.1 g, an oval-round shape, and a rich orange color. The medium-thick skin ensures good storability and transportability; the flesh is pleasant, acidic-sweet, with a refreshing aroma. Yield reaches 8–10 kg per bush, and in more densely planted rows – up to 11.7 t/ha.
'Friend' is distinguished by high frost resistance (up to -40 °C) and drought resistance. The variety is self-sterile, but for stable fruiting, it is recommended to plant both male and female seedlings. Fruits are suitable for consumption fresh, as well as widely used in making jams, compotes, freezing, and drying. For planting, it is best to choose sunny areas protected from drafts, with fertile substrate; after planting, it is necessary to mulch and regularly water young plants.
Hippophae 'Friend' is characterized by high disease resistance: weakly affected by endomycosis and damaged by hippophae fly. With proper care, including moderate fertilization (organic matter, phosphorus, potassium) and periodic pruning, the bush maintains good storability and productivity for many years.
