Goji Berry (Lycium barbarum)

General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit:	Shrub Tree Vine
Life cycle:	Perennial
Sun Requirements:	Full Sun Full Sun to Partial Shade
Water Preferences:	Mesic
Soil pH Preferences:	Neutral (6.6 – 7.3) Slightly alkaline (7.4 – 7.8)
Minimum cold hardiness:	Zone 5a -28.9 °C (-20 °F) to -26.1 °C (-15 °F)
Maximum recommended zone:	Zone 9b
Plant Height:	3.3 to 9.8 feet (1-3 meters)
Plant Spread:	3 to 4 feet
Leaves:	Deciduous
Fruit:	Showy Edible to birds Indehiscent
Fruiting Time:	Fall Late fall or early winter
Flowers:	Showy
Flower Color:	Lavender
Bloom Size:	Under 1"
Flower Time:	Summer Late summer or early fall
Underground structures:	Rhizome Taproot
Suitable Locations:	Xeriscapic
Uses:	Windbreak or Hedge Erosion control Culinary Herb Medicinal Herb Will Naturalize
Edible Parts:	Leaves Fruit
Eating Methods:	Raw Cooked
Wildlife Attractant:	Bees Birds
Resistances:	Pollution Humidity tolerant Drought tolerant Salt tolerant
Propagation: Seeds:	Self fertile
Propagation: Other methods:	Cuttings: Stem Cuttings: Tip Layering
Pollinators:	Self Bees
Containers:	Suitable in 3 gallon or larger
Miscellaneous:	Tolerates poor soil With thorns/spines/prickles/teeth

Common names

Goji Berry
Wolfberry
Chinese Box Thorn
Barbary Matrimony Vine
Duke of Argyll's Teatree

Photo Gallery

Location: My garden in Albuquerque, NM Zone 7b
Date: 08.08.21
Perfect red

Uploaded by NMoasis

Location: Indiana zone 5
Date: 2013-07-09

Uploaded by gardengus

Location: Jacksonville, TX
Date: 2014-08-13

Uploaded by dave

Location: Pembroke, GA
Photo courtesy of Santa Rosa Gardens. Used with permission.

Uploaded by Lalambchop1

Location: Indiana zone 5
Date: 2013-09-17

Uploaded by gardengus

Location: My garden in Albuquerque, NM Zone 7b
Date: 09.16.21
Buds next to fresh flower

Uploaded by NMoasis

Location: University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Date: 2018-10-25

Uploaded by BlueOddish

Location: My Garden in PA
Date: 2017-09-12
Some branches with fruits.

Uploaded by kousa

Photo Courtesy of Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. Used with permissi

Uploaded by Joy

Location: South Jordan, Utah, United States
Date: 2019-05-08

Uploaded by BlueOddish

Location: My garden in Albuquerque, NM Zone 7b
Date: 09.16.21
Fading flower, future fruit

Uploaded by NMoasis

Location: My garden in Albuquerque, NM Zone 7b
Date: 09.16.21
Stamens, filaments and pistils, goji flower

Uploaded by NMoasis

Location: My kitchen in Albuquerque, NM Zone 7b
Date: 09.06.21
Goji berries on oatmeal with yogurt. Yum.

Uploaded by NMoasis

Location: My Garden in PA
Date: 2017-09-12
Half bush shot. Branches need support. Otherwise very droopy.

Uploaded by kousa

Original book source: Prof. Dr. Otto Wilhelm Thomé Flora von Deu

Uploaded by dave

Uploaded by Joy

Location: Indiana zone 5
Date: 2014-08-22
bloom with immature fruit

Uploaded by gardengus

Date: 2016-02-15
Goji Berry (Lycium barbarum) seeds removed from dried fruit

Uploaded by Mulch_Maid

Location: Middle Tennessee
Date: 2011-10-20
Rooted cuttings, first year

Uploaded by SongofJoy

Location: My Garden in PA
Date: 2017-09-12
My 2 years old bush. It has a very unruly and sprawling habit of

Uploaded by kousa

Location: Middle Tennessee
Date: 2012-11-04
Berries on a first year cutting

Uploaded by SongofJoy

Location: My yard in Middle Tennessee
Date: 2014-09-08

Uploaded by SongofJoy

Uploaded by piksihk

Uploaded by JErb

Date: c. 1800-05
illustration [as L. lanceolatum] by P. J. Redouté from Duhamel's

Uploaded by scvirginia

Photo Courtesy of Secret Garden Growers.

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by piksihk

Location: Jacksonville, TX
Date: 2013-09-24

Uploaded by dave

Uploaded by dave

Uploaded by gardengus

Location: my garden
Date: 2013-07-05
Grown from seeds; 4/13/13

Uploaded by piksihk

Date: 2016-02-15
Goji Berry (Lycium barbarum) seeds germinating

Uploaded by Mulch_Maid

Location: Jacksonville, TX
Date: 2013-08-13

Uploaded by dave

Comments:

Posted by gardengus (Indiana Zone 5b) on Apr 14, 2014 4:54 PM concerning plant:

My two small plants managed to produce over a cup each of the berries. I hate reporting that the flavor is not pleasant (my opinion), but the berries have so many healthy ingredients that I found other ways to eat them. Just a tablespoon in any fruit smoothy and they go unnoticed. I did try a few dried then added to tea ...and, well, with some honey they didn't ruin the tea. Dried and dipped in chocolate, they were almost good , but most things are good covered in chocolate.

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Posted by NMoasis (Albuquerque NM, Elev 5310 ft - Zone 7b) on Sep 20, 2021 2:03 AM concerning plant:

Interesting to note that so many people don't care for the taste of goji berries; I find them to be sweet, juicy and tasty. Because my vines are young and still in pots, my first-year harvest is small but I've savored every berry, tossing them onto oatmeal or just snacking on them fresh and plain. Here in the desert, they need afternoon shade and moderate water. They have not been bothered with pests or disease.

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Posted by Sallymander (Portland, Oregon - Zone 7b) on Jul 28, 2019 9:18 PM concerning plant:

Mixed feelings. On the one hand, nothing compares to a fresh, home ground goji berry; on the other, I'm getting too old to battle something that has thorns. It is a wicked plant, and some it gets past the delicate stage, getting rid of it is very difficult to do.

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Posted by SongofJoy (Clarksville, TN - Zone 6b) on Oct 21, 2011 5:46 AM concerning plant:

Lycium barbarum is reported to be a very vigorous grower. Once established, it will root where it touches the ground and continue to spread.

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Plant Events from our members
piksihk	On February 14, 2018	Maintenance performed Pruned hard this time after freeze
piksihk	On October 8, 2016	Bloomed Few blooms - but never fruited
piksihk	On May 22, 2015	Bloomed
piksihk	On March 28, 2015	Obtained plant
antsinmypants	On May 25, 2022	Transplanted Into larger container.
antsinmypants	On March 3, 2022	Plant emerged 1 seedling emerged.
antsinmypants	On February 24, 2022	Seeds sown Indoors under lights on heat mat. 1 cup 5 seeds.
antsinmypants	On April 18, 2021	Plant emerged
antsinmypants	On April 12, 2021	Seeds sown Indoors under lights
MrsBinWY	On April 13, 2021	Seeds sown seeds from 2020G
MrsBinWY	On April 3, 2021	Seeds germinated 3
Retro67	On March 26, 2024	Plant Ended (Removed, Died, Discarded, etc) Failed to germinate. Try to find cuttings in spring.
Retro67	On March 5, 2024	Seeds sown sowed 1 six pack

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Lycium Goji Berry (Lycium barbarum)

Lycium
Goji Berry (Lycium barbarum)