Goji Berry Plant

Goji Berry Plant

Lycium barbarum

Whilst some may pretend Goji Berries are new to the UK and a secret to the Western world it is well documented that Goji’s were first introduced to the UK in the 1600’s. The name ‘Goji’ is fairly new and is based on the Chinese name ‘Gou Qi Zi’ – before this it has been known as The Chinese Wolfberry, The Matrimony Vine, The Chinese Boxthorn, The Red Medlar and even The Duke Of Argyll’s Tea Tree. Surprisingly it is known to be a naturalised specie in the UK, being found in hedgerows in some parts of the Country.

What has only recently been brought to the attention of much the UK populace is the purported wonderfood status of this berry, and to this end below we detail below some of the truly miraculous medicinal benefits of the Goji Berry

Forgetting all the health benefits of Goji's, they are a lovely fruit. Eat them fresh (shake them from the plant to prevent your hands oxidising them and making them go black), or dry them and eat them like sweets or add them to muesli to make your breakfasts power packed. You can even infuse them into a refreshing (and healthy) tea.

Self fertile and hardy to all extremes of climate -15°C - +40°C and drought tolerant as well; is there anything easier to grow? A single plant will produce over 2lbs (1kg) of berries in it second year.

Follow our simple guidance on how to grow Goji Berries for complete success.

Warning Of Goji Berry Imports
Like everything else, our Goji's are produced here on our nursery in the UK and are therefore exempt from the DEFRA requirement that all Goji's imported from outside Europe are destroyed due to concerns of disease being passed to other plants such as tomatoes and potatoes. We are aware DEFRA are also currently investigating the fact that certain other suppliers have been importing their Goji's from China via Holland - thus securing a false European Plant Passport and we understand prosecutions are likely. Most of these plants we understand are bare rooted (and were shown on BBC Gardeners World). Our Goji plants and our production methods were fully inspected and approved by DEFRA as at the 23 April 2008. A bulletin from DEFRA can be viewed at http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2008/080430b.htm. Should you become aware of any of these bare rooted plants and/or incorrectly certified plants we urge you to contact DEFRA directly as the impact on UK grown potatoes and tomatoes would be huge if disease was introduced.

Supplied as compost block grown plants approximately 4" - 6" tall.

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How To Grow Goji Berries

For plants received after the end of August we would recommend that you over winter in a cold greenhouse or on a light airy window sill and plant out the following Spring (around May time).

Goji Berries prefer a full sun or partial shade position and once established are wind tolerant and similarly salt wind tolerant. Once established they will prove frost hardy to at least -15°C but will similarly survive temperatures as high as 40°C. Goji's prefer a well drained rich soil but will perform well on lighter sandy soils - in some parts of the world they have been used as soil stabilisation plant; under no circumstances will they tolerate heavy soils prone to laying wet. They have good tolerance to drought but attention should be paid to watering in the first season after they are planted out.

Container Growing

Goji Berries can perform well if grown in a patio tub or container and should ideally be allowed to grow to a minimum height of around 3ft - 4ft and similar width in order that they can produce a worthwhile crop.

Do not over-pot your Goji plant as this may cause your plant's roots to become waterlogged; pot up into a container just one or two sizes larger and allow the plant to fully root out before re-potting into the next size up - continuing until you have reached your final chosen size of container. Any proprietary potting compost will be fine though we would always recommend the addition of a little horticultural grit to improve drainage, particularly if you choose to use a soil based compost such as John Innes or similar.

Long-term the ideal size of container would be something like a half-cut wooden barrel or similar. Good drainage is essential. Holes should be made in the base, and possibly in the sides at the base as well. Avoid standing the container where it will become waterlogged. Ideally the container should be stood on a couple of house bricks or gravel to assist drainage. A little brick mortar rubble in the bottom of the container to cover the drainage holes and to stop the soil falling through is recommended.

After their first full growing year, container grown plants should prove perfectly hardy and can be left out all year round - that said, as with anything container grown, Winter protection will improve Spring growth and ultimately yield.

Planting Out

Goji Berries will grow in most soil types, but will not tolerate wet soggy soils, and prefer a full sun position. If planting more than one allow a minimum of 6-8ft apart and remember that if you have room they can be allowed to grow to their full height of 8ft - 10ft.

As with many things in life, remember that a little extra care and time taken with planting out will pay dividends for many years to come! Dig the ground over well and incorporate some organic matter such as well rotted manure (not fresh) or compost to give your plant the best start. Plant to the level the plant has been grown; firm in well and water if soil is dry. Under no circumstances should you use any stimulants, fertiliser or bonemeal at planting time as such products will 'burn' any new root growth and actually slow your plant's development!

In the first growing season after planting it is vital to ensure the plant is adequately watered - and this is even more critical in extended dry periods or drought. When watering any newly planted stock a 'heavy soaking' once a week is favourable to a 'light shower' every day, and will encourage a good deep root system Keep the area around the base of your plant free of weeds and grass which would otherwise compete for both moisture and nutrients.

Feeding

During the active growing season an occasional feed with our 'Instant Life' or a light top dress with a base fertiliser will prove beneficial. Under no circumstances be tempted to overfeed though!

Pruning

Pruning is best undertaken in the early Spring just as the plant breaks into growth. We would recommend pruning is kept to a minimum in order to maximise fruit yield - though Goji's will recover well from hard pruning.

Fruiting & Picking

Small purple and white trumpet flowers in Summer are followed by small oval berries that are orange red in colour; these can be harvested until the first frosts. It is better to shake the berries from the plant rather than picking by hand as this will cause the fruit to oxidize and become black in colour.

The Health Benefits Of Goji Berries

According to folklore, people living in the Himalayas who eat Goji Berries are reputed to live to between 120 and 150 years old. The famous Li Quing Yuen is said to have lived to over 250 years, and ate Goji berries on a daily basis. We cannot of course promise you such longentivity but... watch this space for far more information!

An ancient account of the wonderful Goji
Amazed at the magic of the Goji the merchant bowed to the lady with respect and asked, "may I be so bold as to ask what magical herb you posses?"
The lady replied, " this herb has five names. You want to take a different part of the herb each season...
In Spring you take its leaves, which are known as the Essence Of Heaven.
In Summer you take its flowers, which are known as the Longevity of Life.
In Autumn you take its fruits, which are known as the Chinese Wolfberry.
In Winter you take the bark of its root, which is known as the skin and bone of the Earth, or the Staff of the Almighty Creator.
Taking these four parts in the four Seasons respectively will give you life as lofty as Heaven and Earth."