Argousier

The argousier ( Hippophae rhamnoides ) is a species of the Hippophae kind (of the Greek, Hippo " cheval" and phaos " reluire" because the horses which consume the sheets and the branches of argousier take weight and have a glittering peeling). It is a Arbrisseau wild thorn-bush of the family of the Élaéagnacée S, rather common in Europe and Asia. It is a species Dioïque.

vernacular Names : Olivier or Pineapple of Siberia, thorny willow, marine forgery Buckthorn, Bourdaine, argasse, grisset, spine luisante.

Description

Sometimes very thorny shrub, with the buissonnant port, from 2 to 3 meters in height, it can take the port of a shrub and reach up to six meters.

The Sheet S, null and void, alternate, simple, are very narrow and present only one vein. The Pétiole is very short. The Limbe green with the face higher, and gray is silver plated than the lower face.

The Fleur S, apétales, very small, are greenish and appear as of April, before the sheets. The sexes are separate (dioïque plant).

The Fruit S, of ovoid form, complex (false drupes), are made of a Akène surrounded by a fleshy part resulting from the transformation of the floral Réceptacle. Outside, they are yellow orange with maturity (about September) and measure from 6 to 8 mm length.

Distribution and habitat

In France, it is in the Alps of the south that the argousier is represented the most. Thus, in the high Alps and all Alps of the south, many producers manufacture local specialities containing argousier (confirures, pastes, syrups, juice, etc…) In Chamsaur (the High Alps) the productions containing argousier belong to the products of the soil as well as famous the " Tourton of Champsaur".

Out of France, this species is spontaneous in the moderate areas of the Eurasia:

Asia: since the Iran and the Turkey, until the Mongolia, the Tibet and the China (Gansu, Hebei, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Sichuan, Xinjiang, Xizang, Yunnan…), while passing by the the Caucasus (Arménie, Azerbaïdjan, Georgia, Daghestan) and the Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tadjikistan),
like in the Indian Sub-continent;
Europe: Scandinavia, British Isles, Central and Western Europe (Austria, the Benelux countries, Germany, Poland, Swiss…) Eastern Europe (Russia, Ukraine, Moldavie) and southernmost Europe (Iberian peninsula, France, Italy, Romania, ex- Yugoslavia…

It is a species pionnière which colonizes the unstable grounds and the alluvial deposits along banks of the River and of the Mer. She prefers the sunny stations . Do not rise in altitude beyond 2000 Mr.

Use

the fruits, although very acids and astringent, are edible in the form of Confiture, Compote or Gelée. They are used as Condiment S in the Scandinavian countries. They are exceptionally rich in Vitamine C with a concentration 5 times higher than that of the kiwi and 30 times higher than that of the orange. In Asia, more than 200 food products or medicinal are manufactured starting from the argousier. In France, certain farmers in the valley of the Durance reacted to the fall of the market of the fruits while launching out in the culture of the argousier.
the plant is of horticultural interest like shrub of ornament. It is also useful to stabilize the grounds subjected to the erosion. It is a plant improving of the grounds thanks to the presence in its roots of Nodosité S lodging of the Bactérie S able to fix the atmospheric Azote.

the argousier has several medicinal applications in particular against the cutaneous burns and wounds. The oil of argousier is also used by cosmetic industry.

Varieties and cultivars

There exists a certain number of Cultivar S, generally selected for qualities of the fruits:

Female:

“Gastinia moldovia”

“Hergo”

“Inermis” - Very can thorny. Size lower than the type.

“Leikora” - (female) Rather large fruits, vigorous bush. A German selection.

“Moldovia female”

“Novostj Altaja” - (female) Not very thorny, productive. The fruits are less acid than those of the type. A selection resistant to cold prolonged.

“Otradnaya” - (female) a variety hasty, vigorous, resistant cold.

“Prevoshodnaya” - (female) a Russian selection, with the fruits of better quality that those of the type.

“Rockorange” - Very productive.

“Indian-Summer” - a recent selection Canadian (1996), resistant cold and to the dryness. 165 Mg of vitamin C by 100 G of fruits.

“ARGALP 700” - a selection with strong content of vitamin C is 700 Mg of vitamin C for 100 G

Male:

“Arborescent masculi” - up to 8 m in height

“male Moldovia”

“Pollmix” - (male) a selection often used like pollinating in the orchards of argousiers.

“Sprite” - (male) a selection with reduced dimensions, and the foliage more silver plated than that of the standard species. Often used like Pollinating.

External bond

Receipts and information on Argousier of the Alps of the South
Association of the Producers of Argousier of the Valley of the High Durance
Re-examined medical applications of the plant and history of its use.
Card argousier on Universe-Nature

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