Hippophae Leaves Curling
Gall mites and aphids are the most common reasons hippophae leaves curl. This guide shows you how to identify each cause and keep sea buckthorn thriving in your garden.
1. Hippophae gall mite (Aceria hippophaena)
Eriophyid gall mites are a group of microscopic plant-feeding mites that cause a range of distinctive symptoms including leaf curling, galling, and abnormal tissue development. Aceria hippophaena is a specialist mite found only on hippophae. It feeds on the leaf surface and in leaf tissue, distorting and curling leaves as it does so. The mite is far too small to see without magnification but its effects on leaves are distinctive.
What to look for
Leaves develop an unusual bronzed or russet tint alongside fine stippling or a slightly rough texture on the upper surface. The leaf blade may curl downward at the margins or pucker along the midrib. In some cases small, blister-like swellings (erinea) develop on the leaf surface, appearing as pale or rusty patches covered in tiny hairs. The damage is most obvious on new growth in spring and early summer. On the naturally silvery-scaled leaves of hippophae the symptoms can be subtle and easily overlooked.
What to do
On established sea buckthorn, gall mite damage is cosmetic and does not seriously affect the health or vigour of the plant. No treatment is needed in most cases. Natural predatory mites keep populations in check over the season without any intervention. If the problem is severe on a young ornamental specimen, a sulphur-based miticide applied to the foliage in spring when mites first become active can reduce the population. Avoid broad-spectrum miticides that kill the predatory mites which provide natural control.
2. Aphids
Several aphid species feed on hippophae, including specialist sea buckthorn aphids and more generalist species that colonise a range of hosts. Populations can build on the soft new growth in spring, causing the characteristic leaf curl and honeydew deposits associated with heavy aphid feeding.
What to look for
New growth at the tips of stems is distorted and curled. Part the curled leaves to find aphid colonies on the undersides, ranging from pale yellow to dark green or grey in colour depending on species. A sticky honeydew coating on leaf surfaces below the colony and black sooty mould on that coating are further signs. The naturally dense, silvery foliage of hippophae can make it slightly harder to spot aphid colonies; check shoot tips carefully during spring and early summer growth flushes.
What to do
Knock small colonies off with a strong jet of water. For larger infestations, spray with horticultural soap solution directed at shoot tips and the underside of leaves. On established sea buckthorn in a wildlife garden, natural predators including ladybirds, lacewings, and blue tits provide very effective control without any intervention; the dense, thorny structure of the plant offers good nesting and foraging habitat for insectivorous birds. Avoid pesticide sprays in wildlife gardens where hippophae is often specifically planted for its ecological value.
3. Scale insects
Several armoured scale species can colonise the bark and leaves of hippophae, particularly on plants in warmer, sheltered positions. Scale insects are sap-feeders that attach permanently to the plant tissue and build up their characteristic hard or waxy covers, under which they feed and reproduce.
What to look for
Small, flat, grey or brown oval or oyster-shaped bumps appear on stems, branches, and the undersides of leaves. In heavy infestations the bark can be almost completely covered with scale, giving it a rough, encrusted appearance. Affected leaves curl and yellow where scale are feeding on the undersides. Honeydew production leads to sooty mould on the leaf surfaces below. Branch dieback can occur in severe cases when scale infestations go untreated for several seasons.
What to do
Scrub accessible bark with a stiff brush dipped in soapy water to physically remove scale colonies. Apply a horticultural oil spray to dormant wood in late winter to smother overwintering scale. In late spring when the mobile crawler stage is active, spray with horticultural soap at ten-day intervals for six weeks. On large, established plants this may be impractical, in which case concentrate treatment on the most heavily infested sections and allow natural predators to address the rest. A healthy, vigorous plant is more resistant to scale build-up than a stressed one.
4. Root rot in waterlogged soil
Hippophae is one of the most drought-tolerant shrubs available for UK gardens, thriving in sandy, nutrient-poor soils. The flip side of this adaptation is a pronounced intolerance of waterlogging. In heavy clay, impeded drainage, or low-lying positions that flood in wet winters, root rot causes rapid decline.
What to look for
The plant wilts and leaves curl and yellow despite apparent moisture in the soil. New growth is weak and pale. Branches die back progressively. If you scrape back the bark at the base of the plant or examine roots, you will find dark, rotten tissue with an unpleasant smell. The problem typically develops or worsens through a wet winter and becomes apparent in the following spring when the plant fails to break into healthy growth.
What to do
There is no reliable treatment once root rot is well established. Prevent it entirely by planting hippophae only in free-draining or well-drained soil. If your garden has heavy clay, plant on a raised mound or bank, or improve drainage by incorporating generous amounts of coarse grit before planting. In coastal or dry gardens with naturally sandy soil, hippophae thrives with minimal attention. Avoid irrigating established plants as they are adapted to drought and additional moisture can be counterproductive in heavy soils.
5. Drought stress
Hippophae is exceptionally drought-tolerant once established, routinely thriving in coastal sand dunes where rainfall is low and drainage is instantaneous. However, young plants in their first season and container specimens can experience drought stress before their extensive root systems have developed.
What to look for
Leaves curl inward and may lose some of their silvery sheen, taking on a duller appearance. Young shoot tips may wilt in the hottest part of the day. Container specimens feel very light and the compost is bone dry to depth. The silver scales that cover the leaves of hippophae can make it difficult to detect subtle colour changes that indicate stress; focus instead on the physical curl of the leaves and the feel of the compost or soil.
What to do
Water young plants in their first growing season if conditions are very dry, particularly in the weeks immediately after planting. Once established in the ground, hippophae very rarely needs supplemental watering in UK conditions. Container specimens need watering regularly in warm weather but take care not to overwater as the roots need good aeration. Use a well-draining compost mix (adding 20 to 30 percent grit) for container-grown hippophae to replicate the free-draining sandy soil it naturally prefers.
Frequently asked questions
Why are my hippophae leaves silvery and curling?
Sea buckthorn leaves are naturally silvery-grey due to a coating of small star-shaped scales; this is normal. Abnormal silvering or bronzing combined with curling and fine stippling on the leaf surface indicates eriophyid gall mite infestation. The mites are microscopic but their feeding disrupts the normal leaf surface structure. No treatment is needed on established plants.
Do I need a male and female hippophae to get berries?
Yes, hippophae rhamnoides is dioecious (separate male and female plants) and you need at least one male for every five to seven females to get berries. A single male planted upwind of the female plants ensures good pollination. The male does not produce berries but is essential for fruit set on the females.
Why is my sea buckthorn spreading so aggressively?
Hippophae spreads by root suckers that emerge from the vigorous lateral root system. This is a natural behaviour that makes it excellent for stabilising sandy soils and slopes but can be invasive in a garden. Sever suckers at their base using a sharp spade in spring. Mowing repeatedly over suckers in grass will gradually weaken them.
Can hippophae grow in waterlogged soil?
No, hippophae needs well-drained or free-draining soil. In its natural habitat it grows on sandy coastal dunes and river gravels where drainage is rapid. Waterlogged soil causes root rot and general decline. It is one of the few shrubs that thrives in very poor, dry, sandy soil, where it fixes atmospheric nitrogen through root nodules.
Why are the leaves on my sea buckthorn turning yellow?
Yellowing leaves on hippophae in well-drained soil are often a sign of nitrogen deficiency, as the nitrogen-fixing root nodules may not be functioning correctly in stressed or newly planted specimens. General yellowing in wet soil indicates root rot. A light application of a balanced fertiliser in spring and ensuring good drainage resolves most cases.
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