We have a Chinese family down the street from us. Her father came to visit and spent quite some time, most days, in my garden. When he returned to China, he sent a sack of dried Gogi berries to his daughter to give to me. He gave instructions for me to eat two a day. I ate a few, but was somewhat reluctant to continue, not knowing how the berries were prepared. I finally tossed them. I'm sure they were fine, but I just wasn't sure.

I have a huge Hackberry tree out in the green belt. I will have to try growing Gogis under this cursed tree! Great article. I do think they have many health benefits.

A plant that has now gone on my must have list. Thank you Dave for the great article! I went to the database & see it says it has thorns yet there are no photos showing the thorns on them. I looked through all the photos to see if I could catch a glimpse of the thorns but could not find any. Can we get a photo of the thorns please? Failing that, can you describe them? Are they thorned like blackberries or is it more like the thorns on citrus?

I'll get a photo of thorns when the weather allows.

They do indeed have thorns but they aren't dramatic like a rose or blackberry. It's kind of like... they are there but you don't really notice them usually. You wouldn't want to grab a branch and run your hand down it, but you also aren't constantly being attacked by them either.

Thank you Dave.

If this can grow easily, would this become like an invasive plant like the beautiful Brazilian berry shrubs growing everywhere around Florida?

Good question Gigi.

I think to qualify as invasive the plant should spread readily by seed and in my experience that has not been the case. It does spread by rooting itself at the ends of the canes (like a blackberry does) but that's easily controlled.

I'm not saying it isn't or couldn't be invasive. I really don't know.

Just bought one at our last sale -- it has blooms on it now.

I've eaten these 'red diamond' in Chinese soups most of my life; they were dried fruits not fresh - but didn't know all the benefits or ways to eat them.
I can't wait to get my first crop of berries!

My goji has been planted 3 years now and this year I have pulled several small starts that appear to have come from root runners. They are popping up in my path about 3 feet from the mother plant.

Interesting to read about the Goji Berry, which I knew nothing about previously. I did not know that walnut trees had an herbicide that prevented other plants to grow. Amazing how plants compete for space and nutrients!