Goji
Lycium barbarum
Drought-tough canes with bright red berries.
Hardiness: zones 5 to 9
Light: full sun
Size: about 8 ft tall, 6 ft wide
Harvest: July to October
From: China
Drought-hardy once established
Here: Hardy in the Lake Erie shore climate (zone 6b to 7a), so it can live outdoors in the ground.
Good for: food, pollinators, traditional use.
Native to: East Asia. Hardy in zones 5 to 9.
The story
Goji, the wolfberry, has been grown in Ningxia on the upper Yellow River for at least 600 years and dried as a tonic in Chinese medicine far longer. It is a sprawling, thorny shrub that happens to make a sweet red berry and takes drought and cold alike.
Planting
Full sun and drained, even alkaline soil; it tolerates poor ground. Plant in spring and give it a fence or tie to a stake; it flops.
Growing
Water modestly, feed lightly, and prune hard in winter to keep it in bounds; it fruits on new wood. It suckers.
Harvest and use
Berries ripen red from summer into autumn; pick by shaking into a tray, since they bruise. Dry on screens or eat fresh.
What to watch for
Powdery mildew, aphids, and its own sprawl.
Safety
Goji may strengthen the effect of blood thinners such as warfarin.
Medicinal uses here are shared as history, not advice. Kitchen amounts are fine for most people, but teas, tinctures and supplements can interact with medicines and aren't safe for everyone, especially in pregnancy, while breastfeeding, for children, or with liver or kidney problems. Ask a doctor or pharmacist before taking any plant as medicine.
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More berries and small fruit
General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home