Wuqi Sea Buckthorn

Wuqi Sea Buckthorn

　　Wuqi Sea Buckthorn is a specialty of Wuqi County in Yan'an City, Shaanxi Province. The county boasts abundant sea buckthorn resources, with a planting area of 1.8 million mu, making it a national demonstration county for sea buckthorn development.

　　Known as the "golden treasure of the desert" and the "green bank of the high mountains," sea buckthorn thrives with remarkable resilience in arid deserts and high-altitude regions. Its distinctive health benefits make it a guardian of human wellness. Classic Tibetan medical texts such as the "Four Medical Tantras" state: “Sea buckthorn benefits the lungs, relieves coughs, activates blood circulation, disperses blood stasis, and eliminates phlegm and dampness.” The "Jingzhu Bencao" notes: “Sea buckthorn benefits the lungs, relieves coughs, activates blood circulation, resolves stasis, and clears phlegm turbidity.” Modern pharmacology confirms that sea buckthorn leaves contain up to 3,888 mg of flavonoids per 100 grams—the highest among plants. Studies show that flavonoids protect blood vessels, resist vascular hardening, effectively lower blood lipids, improve and regulate blood pressure, and inhibit atherosclerosis. They also offer anti-radiation and anti-cancer properties, and provide multi-faceted regulation of the immune system.

　　In recent years, Wuqi County has vigorously implemented the Grain for Green program, planting large areas of highly adaptable and economically valuable sea buckthorn on reclaimed farmland. The sea buckthorn planting area has reached 1.8 million mu, including 1.25 million mu of mature forest and 1 million mu of fruit-bearing trees, yielding 60,000 tons of fresh fruit annually. Every part of the sea buckthorn plant is valuable: its fruit can be used to produce sea buckthorn oil and juice, its leaves can be made into tea, and its branches can be processed into wood panels.