Goji Berry
Lycium barbarum
Also listed as Lycium halimifolium, Jasminoides flaccidum
Also known as Chinese Wolfberry, Chinese Boxthorn, Matrimony Vine
Climate Match for your location
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Goji berry is a deciduous shrub prized for its small red berries packed with nutrients and antioxidants, used fresh, dried, or in traditional medicine. It is extremely hardy, drought-tolerant, and well-suited to permaculture systems in arid and semi-arid climates.
Why grow it
Goji berry offers comparable nutritional density to other berry crops while requiring significantly less water and maintenance than conventional cultivars. Unlike many berry-producing shrubs, it tolerates poor soils and extreme temperature fluctuations, making it practical for marginal land in arid regions where other fruit shrubs struggle. It fills a useful ecological niche in permaculture systems by providing food production in zones typically reserved for perennial nitrogen-fixers or other non-productive elements.
Watch out for
The plant can take 2-3 years to reach productive maturity, requiring patience before establishing a reliable harvest. Fruit ripens unevenly over an extended season, necessitating multiple passes for collection rather than a single harvest window. In humid climates, powdery mildew and botrytis may reduce yield and fruit quality, requiring careful site selection with good air circulation.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Solanaceae
Native Range
China, Tibet, Mongolia
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
Shrub
Woody multi-stem plants at eye level.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Years to Bearing
- Propagation
Goji berry is a deciduous shrub prized for its small red berries packed with nutrients and antioxidants, used fresh, dried, or in traditional medicine. It is extremely hardy, drought-tolerant, and well-suited to permaculture systems in arid and semi-arid climates.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Goji Berry grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Goji berry offers comparable nutritional density to other berry crops while requiring significantly less water and maintenance than conventional cultivars. Unlike many berry-producing shrubs, it tolerates poor soils and extreme temperature fluctuations, making it practical for marginal land in arid regions where other fruit shrubs struggle. It fills a useful ecological niche in permaculture systems by providing food production in zones typically reserved for perennial nitrogen-fixers or other non-productive elements.
Watch out for
The plant can take 2-3 years to reach productive maturity, requiring patience before establishing a reliable harvest. Fruit ripens unevenly over an extended season, necessitating multiple passes for collection rather than a single harvest window. In humid climates, powdery mildew and botrytis may reduce yield and fruit quality, requiring careful site selection with good air circulation.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Solanaceae
Native Range
China, Tibet, Mongolia
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
Shrub
Woody multi-stem plants at eye level.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Years to Bearing
- Propagation
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