🍎 Goji Berry
Lycium barbarum / L. chinense
fruits perennial bush
☀️ Sun
full sun
💧 Water
moderate; drought-tolerant once established
🗺️ Zones
3–10
🪴 Soil Type
well-drained; tolerates poor, sandy, alkaline soils
🧪 Soil pH
6.5–8.5 (alkaline-tolerant)
📏 Spacing
4-6 ft apart, 6-8 ft between rows (bush; can be hedged at 3 ft)
📅 Days to Maturity
2-3 years (from planting); bears fruit from second year onward
🍴 Edible Parts
🍽️ ["Fruit"]
🤝 Companions (7)
🤝 Marigold
Nematode suppression; pest repellent
🤝 Garlic / Chives
Repel aphids and spider mites
Nutrient accumulator for heavy-fruiting goji
🤝 Clover
Nitrogen source; groundcover
Aphid trap; tolerates drier conditions
Beneficial insects; drought-tolerant
🤝 Rosemary / Lavender
Similar alkaline-tolerant Mediterranean herbs; pest repellent
⚠️ Keep Apart (2)
⚠️ Walnut trees
Juglone sensitivity moderate
⚠️ Acid-loving plants (blueberry, cranberry)
pH incompatibility — cannot share soil amendments
💊 Medicinal Uses
Contains zeaxanthin (eye-protective carotenoid), Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (immune-modulating), and betaine. Traditional Chinese Medicine for vision, longevity, and sexual health. Antioxidant and anti-aging properties. Used for diabetes, high blood pressure, and age-related eye degeneration. Hepatoprotective; improves circulation.