Leaf type: Ovate, broadly lanceolate
Leaf margin: Smooth
Phyllotaxis: Alternate
Colour: Green
Life cycle: Deciduous shrub
Leaf (upper side)
Growth habit & biology
Lycium barbarum is a deciduous shrub that also spreads via suckers and can overgrow large areas. The arching or drooping shoots can grow over two meters long.
The green leaves are typically ovate to broadly lanceolate and reach lengths of three to seven centimeters.
Lycium barbarum is characterized by its susceptibility to powdery mildew. As early as spring, young leaves may be affected by the white fungal coating.
Distribution & habitates
The plant’s native range is China, but Lycium barbarum is now also found in most European countries, as well as regionally in Australia, North America, and South America (source).
Due to its berries, Lycium barbarum is cultivated both privately and commercially as a crop plant. When naturalized, the species occurs along highways, on embankments and slopes, as well as along roadsides, paths, and coastal sites.
Botany
Lycium barbarum is a member of the nightshade family (Solanaceae). Its fruits are known as goji berries, while the plant itself is commonly referred to as goji or wolfberry. The names “common wolfberry” and “Chinese wolfberry” are also used in horticultural and botanical contexts.
