The Genus Lycium
Wolfberries
Family: Solanaceae
This genus has a disjunct distribution around the globe, with a total of 92 species occurring on most continents in temperate and subtropical regions. South America has the most species, followed by North America and southern Africa. There are several scattered across Europe and Asia, and one is native to Australia.
The most famous wolfberry is the economic crop goji berry (either Lycium barbarum or Lycium chinense, both closely related species) which is a traditional food in Asia, and a trendy superfood in western markets.
There are 11 species of wolfberries in the desert southwestern United States, and even more just south of the border in Sonora and Baja California. They are all important wildlife plants providing fruits for many species of birds and other animals, and important cover for all kinds of small animals looking for shelter.
Most species of Lycium get enormous, tall and wide. So make sure you have space in your yard if you plant one of these shrubs.
Most species of wolfberry will go dormant or semi-dormant in June. Sometimes they just look sickly—yellow, blotched, and dropping foliage, which concerns those who don’t know its life history. This is completely normal for this genus, and should mostly be ignored.
This plant is in the nightshade family—the fruits are delicious (flavor varies from species to species, and even plant to plant as growing conditions will effect fruit flavor). The fruits are eaten raw or made into syrups or preserves. They can also be dehydrated.
Species of Lycium are notoriously difficult to identify, even for botanists, as the foliage and even flowers can vary. So if you have difficulty telling them apart, don’t feel bad.
Lycium andersonii
Anderson’s Wolfberry
Shrub from 3-6’ tall and wide. Leaves are mostly summer deciduous (June, July). Lavender flowers are produced in the spring followed by 3/8” diameter juicy red berries. The flowers fade to white or tan.
Grow in full to part sun, with low water, hardy to 10°F.
The flowers are mostly pollinated by native bees, though other pollinators visit the flowers. Moth larval food plant for the Mexican agapema silkmoth (Agapema anona), various sphinx moths (family Sphingidae), prominent moths (family Notodontidae), and crambid snout moths (family Crambidae). Many species of birds and mammals use the berries. The spinecent plant makes a protective habitat and nesting plant.
Fruits are edible raw, dehydrated, or made into preserves.
Lycium is from Greek name Lykion used to describe a thorny tree or shrub; andersonii is named after Dr. Charles Lewis Anderson (1827-1910), physician and naturalist, and collector of the type specimen.
Distinguished by being a glabrous, thorny erect shrub with light-colored young bark and dark brown older bark (lighter than L. berlandieri); linear-terete, succulent leaves; calyx 1/4 as long as the corolla; corolla >7mm long with hairless lobes, and with hardly-exserted to exserted stamens; and red berries.
Found along arid washes and arroyos, bajadas, rocky slopes, mesas and foothills below 5,500 ft. in southern and central California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico; south into northern Mexico.
Lycium berlandieri
Berlandier’s Wolfberry
Spinecent shrubs usually 6’ high x 5’ wide. Summer-deciduous foliage (June, July, usually return with monsoon). Small purple flowers throughout the year, followed by red berries. This species is usually easiest to identify with its characteristic thin leaves (though the leaves still can vary).
Grow in full to part sun, with low water, hardy to 20° F.
Flowers pollinated by native bees, and used by other pollinators.Moth larval food plant for the Mexican agapema silkmoth (Agapema anona), various sphinx moths (family Sphingidae), prominent moths (family Notodontidae), and crambid snout moths (family Crambidae). Berries attract numerous bird species and other mammals. This makes a great, protective habitat and nesting plant.
Fruits are edible raw, dehydrated, or made into preserves.
Lycium is from Greek name Lykion used to describe a thorny tree or shrub; berlandieri is named after Jean Louis Berlandier (1805-1851) Belgian botanist and collector of the type specimen.
Told apart from Lycium andersonii by the leaves which are flattened in cross section, rather than succulent and terete (rounded) as in L. andersonii; the corolla which is often expanded at the top and also markedly shorter, at 4-7 mm long (7-14 mm long in L. andersonii); the darker bark color is also a good indicator.
Found on alluvial plains and rocky foothills slopes, below 3,000 ft. in southern California to Texas, Oklahoma; south into Mexico.
Lycium excertum
Arizona Desert Thorn
Large shrub growing up to 12’ tall and wide. Summer deciduous foliage. Small white to pale purple flowers throughout the year, followed by red berries.
Grow in full to part sun, with low water, hardy to at least 10° F.
Flowers pollinated by native bees, and used by other pollinators.Moth larval food plant for the Mexican agapema silkmoth (Agapema anona), various sphinx moths (family Sphingidae), prominent moths (family Notodontidae), and crambid snout moths (family Crambidae). Berries attract numerous bird species and other mammals. This makes a great, protective habitat and nesting plant.
Fruits are edible raw, dehydrated, or made into preserves.
Lycium is from Greek name Lykion used to describe a thorny tree or shrub; excertum refers to the exserted (protruding) stamens.
Told apart by its densely pubescent twigs, densely glandular-pubescent leaves, stamens exserted 2-5 mm, and pendulous flowers. Is separated from the common and widespread L. andersonii by its larger size and many hairy parts (L. andersonii is almost wholly glabrous). It is most similar to L. fremontii and is best distinguished by the flowers, which are mainly dark purple and erect in that species, with glabrous or lightly pubescent filaments. These differences are much easier to see in the fresh material rather than dried specimens, which often lose their color. L. fremontii also tends to grow in low saline habitats, while L. exsertum is found in upland habitats.
Found along washes and flats below 4,000 ft. in southern Arizona, southeastern California, and northwestern Mexico.
Lycium fremontii
Fremont’s Wolfberry
Large shrub, growing about 6x6’. Leaves summer deciduous. Small purple flowers throughout the year, followed by red berries.
Grow in full to part sun, with low water, 20° F.
Flowers pollinated by native bees, and used by other pollinators.Moth larval food plant for the Mexican agapema silkmoth (Agapema anona), various sphinx moths (family Sphingidae), prominent moths (family Notodontidae), and crambid snout moths (family Crambidae). Berries attract numerous bird species and other mammals. This makes a great, protective habitat and nesting plant.
Fruits are edible raw, dehydrated, or made into preserves.
Lycium is from Greek name Lykion, used to describe a thorny tree or shrub; fremontii is named for John C. Fremont (1813-1890), an American explorer.
Common and often in colonies, an abundant fruit producer in the desert. Look for it especially in low, saline habitats such as playas and wash bottoms. The plant has few thorns; leaves are glandular-hairy; the older, interior bark is dark, while the new growth is grayish to white; the flowers are usually erect and dark purple and the fruit matures to red. Similar to L. exsertum in its glandular-pubescent herbage, but that species has pendulous flowers; filaments which are quite hairy above the attachment point with the corolla; and longer exserted stamens. To tell it apart from L. torreyi, look at the corolla margins; L. torryei-s are densely ciliate with branched hairs which are visible to the naked eye, while this species has sparsely ciliate or hairless corolla margins.
Found in washes and flats, often in saline soils, below 4,500 ft. in Arizona, southeasterm California, and northwestern Mexico.
Lycium macrodon
Desert Wolfberry
Large shrub, growing about 8-9’ tall and wide. Leaves are summer deciduous. Small greenish-white (sometimes with some purple) flowers throughout the year, followed by red berries.
Grow in full to part sun, with low water, 20° F.
Flowers pollinated by native bees, and used by other pollinators.Moth larval food plant for the Mexican agapema silkmoth (Agapema anona), various sphinx moths (family Sphingidae), prominent moths (family Notodontidae), and crambid snout moths (family Crambidae). Berries attract numerous bird species and other mammals. This makes a great, protective habitat and nesting plant.
Fruits are edible raw, dehydrated, or made into preserves.
Lycium is from Greek name Lykion, used to describe a thorny tree or shrub; macrodon means large-toothed, referring to the calyx lobes.
This Lycium is distinguished in the key by its long calyx lobes, which are at least as long as the calyx tube but can be up to twice as long as the tube; the sparsely pubescent calyx (L. cooperi is moderately pubescent). Also pay attention to the berries, which mature to a dull yellowish brown color and have a distinct notch at the top, dividing berry into 2 sections.
Found in washes and in flats, below 2,500 ft. in southwestern Aarizona; northwestern Sonora.
Lycium pallidum
Pallid Wolfberry
Large shrub growing upright, about 6’+ high usually just a little less wide than high. Leaves are summer deciduous. Large cream colored flowers throughout the year, followed by red berries.
Flowers pollinated by native bees, and used by other pollinators.Moth larval food plant for the Mexican agapema silkmoth (Agapema anona), various sphinx moths (family Sphingidae), prominent moths (family Notodontidae), and crambid snout moths (family Crambidae). Berries attract numerous bird species and other mammals. This makes a great, protective habitat and nesting plant.
Fruits are edible raw, dehydrated, or made into preserves.
Lycium is from Greek name Lykion, used to describe a thorny tree or shrub; pallidum means ashen, pale referring to foliage and flower color.
L. pallidum is the common Lycium of the middle and higher elevations, found throughout AZ and NM where the elevation exceeds 3,000 ft. Distinguished as being a thorny, spreading shrub with a zig-zagging branching pattern; broad pale-green leaves (hence pallida); a calyx with a rounded base and lobes as long as the tube; and a relatively large (1.5- 2 cm long), greenish-white, funnel-shaped corolla. Look also for the blue-white waxy coating ("glaucous") on the herbage.
Found on sand or rocky soil in a variety of community types, from 2,500-7,500 ft. in southern California, southern Nevada, southern Utah, Arizona, southern Colorado, New Mexico, southern Texas; south to into northern Mexico.