Shrub
Goji Berry
Lycium barbarum · Solanaceae
Also called: Wolfberry, Chinese wolfberry, Matrimony vine
Goji Berry (Lycium barbarum) is a low-water shrub well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It's a fast-growing shrub.
Goji Berry at a glance
- Water use
- Low (established)
- Sun
- Full sun for best fruit production; tolerates Tucson's full sun well and is quite heat-tolerant, though light afternoon shade reduces stress in extreme heat.
- Mature size
- Sprawling, arching shrub 3-8 ft tall and wide; long lax canes can be trellised or left to mound. Spreads by suckers.
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Bloom
- Purple to lavender flowers; bright red-orange oblong berries., Blooms late spring through summer; fruits summer into fall (purple flowers followed by red-orange berries over a long season).
- Cold hardiness
- Very cold-hardy (USDA zones 5-9) and heat-tolerant; thrives in Tucson. Deciduous to semi-evergreen depending on winter cold. No frost protection needed.
- Soil
- Adaptable; tolerates poor, alkaline, and even somewhat saline soils — well suited to Tucson's high-pH soils. Needs good drainage. pH 6.5-8.0 fine.
- Native range
- Native to China and southeastern Europe/Asia. Note: several Lycium (wolfberry) species ARE native to the Sonoran Desert, but L. barbarum itself is not.
- Best used as
- Edible berries (fresh and dried), Antioxidant/health food, Edible hedge or informal screen, Erosion control on slopes
- Wildlife
- Flowers attract bees; berries eaten by birds. Related native Lycium species are important Sonoran Desert wildlife plants.
- Toxicity
- Berries edible. As a nightshade (Solanaceae), leaves/unripe parts are not for eating; generally considered low-risk but keep pets from grazing foliage. Can interact with blood-thinning medications in people.
How to grow Goji Berry in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
Drought-tolerant once established; deep drip irrigation about weekly in summer heat improves fruit set and size, less in cooler months. Overwatering reduces fruit quality and can cause root rot. One of the more water-thrifty berry crops for the desert.
Fertilizer & nutrients
Light feeder; a modest spring application of balanced or all-purpose fertilizer and compost is sufficient. Avoid excess nitrogen, which favors foliage over fruit.
Pruning & care
Prune in late winter dormancy to shape, remove dead/tangled wood, and keep an open framework; fruit forms on current-season and one-year-old wood. Tip-prune to encourage lateral fruiting branches. Remove suckers to control spread.
Notes
Excellent low-water, heat- and alkaline-soil-tolerant berry for Tucson. Vigorous and can sucker aggressively, so site where spread is acceptable or contain it. Classified as Shrub (arching/sprawling habit); often trained on a trellis but is not a true twining vine.
Sources: University of Arizona Cooperative Extension; Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (Lycium / wolfberry genus notes); Reputable horticulture references on Lycium barbarum culture