Native to China, Sea-buckthorn is a dense and thorny deciduous shrub or small tree.  Grows from 1 metre to 10 metres tall.  It has tiny, green, petalless flowers which bloom in March and April with male and female flowers appearing on separate bushes. 

The leaves are narrow, lanceolate and alternate and are covered with tiny silvery scales giving them a greyish appearance.  The bush has stout spines and in autumn bright orange-yellow berries (7mm across) are borne on the female plants.