NameThatPlant.net: Lycium barbarum

Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Asterids: Lamiids: Solanales

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Lycium barbarum FAMILY Solanaceae Go to FSUS key

Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.

Read more about Common Matrimony-vine at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Lycium barbarum FAMILY Solanaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 165-01-002:

Lycium halimifolium FAMILY Solanaceae

COMMON NAME:
Common Matrimony-vine, Wolfberry, Goji Berry

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Lycium barbarum FAMILY Solanaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Lycium barbarum FAMILY Solanaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 165-01-002:
Lycium halimifolium FAMILY Solanaceae

4974

Vine-like shrub
Perennial

Habitat: Old fields, fencerows, alluvial thickets and clearings, old home sites, along railroad tracks, and in other disturbed areas, per Weakley's Flora

Non-native: southern Europe

Rare

CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.

IS THE PLANT "ARMED"?
Twigs sometimes spine-tipped

LEAVES:
Deciduous
Simple
Alternate

FLOWER:
Spring/Summer/Fall
Blue-violet
Radially symmetrical
4-5 merous
4-5 lobed calyx
4-5 lobed corolla
Superior ovary
Bisexual

Flowers in axillary clusters

FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Red or orange
Berry

TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!

If a search such as "Carex leptalea var. leptalea" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "Carex leptalea".
Or, to minimize chances of a misspelling, try just "Carex le".

Less is more: If "pencil flower" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "pencil".