沙棘(Hippophae rhamnoides)又名醋柳、酸刺,维吾尔名吉安,为胡颓子科小乔木或灌木,是一种喜光、抗寒、耐旱、较耐盐碱、适应性强的树种.沙棘在新疆各地均有自然分布;由于它枝叶繁茂,根系发达,人们已将它用于荒漠造林和改良土壤,目前除阿勒泰地区已培育起沙棘防护林外,近年和田地区也大力发展沙棘林,截止1985年春季人工栽植的沙棘林已近3万亩. Hippophae rhamnoides is also a kind of hi-light, cold-tolerant, drought-tolerant, salt-tolerant and adaptable tree species, also known as vinegar willow, acid thorn and Uyghur name Ji’an. Because of its luxuriant foliage and developed roots, people have already used it for desertification and soil improvement. At present, in addition to the seabuckthorn shelterbelt that has been cultivated in the Altay area, the seabuckthorn forest has also been vigorously developed in recent years in the Hetian area. As of 1985 Spring planting artificial seabuckthorn nearly 30000 acres.