Wolfberry
Lycium barbarum (Solanaceae)
Fast Facts:
Number of Growers: less than 20
Acres in Washington: less than 50
Per Acre Value: $1200-$2500
Description
of crop:
Wolfberry is the common name for the fruit of two closely related species of boxthorn in
the Solanaceae family. Wolfberry is also known as Chinese wolfberry, goji berry and the
western snowberry. It is a deciduous, woody, perennial plant. In the Northern
Hemisphere, flowering occurs from June through September and berry maturation from
August to October. All significant commercial cultivation occurs in China but in the
United States there has been a growing interest in wolfberries for their nutrient and
antioxidant qualities. Utah is a leading producer. Wolfberries are generally never found
in their fresh forms outside of their production region. They are usually sold only in their
dry forms.
The berries are a sweet, dark red colored fruit. When ripe, the oblong, red berries are
tender and must be picked carefully or shaken from the vine onto trays. The fruits are
preserved by drying them in the sun or through mechanical dehydration. As a food, dried
wolfberries are traditionally cooked before consuming. They can be boiled as a tea and
various wines containing wolfberries are produced. Young wolfberry shoots and leaves
are also grown commercially as a leaf vegetable.
Wolfberries are generally marketed in the U.S as a health food. Commercial suppliers
have processed wolfberries as an additive for manufacturing juice concentrates, and
whole fruit purees. They are also sold as dried berries, berry pieces in granola bars and in
skin soaps. The wolfberry has been grown and consumed in China for a few thousand
years. Chinese medicine believes it acts on liver and kidney channels and enriches yin. It
is a common practice in Chinese medicine to prescribe it to treat liver, kidney, or eye
diseases, along with other herbs. Chinese people also consume goji berries in their dayto-day lives, because they believe this red colored berry can keep them healthy, young,
and energetic. This fruit has been eaten raw, as goji juice, as herbal tea (e.g. with
Chrysanthemum), with yogurt, and with cereal.
The production of wolfberries in Washington is mainly for the medicinal herb market.
Key pests:
There are no insect or disease pests that affect wolfberries. It is generally grown
organically.
Key pesticides:
Growing wolfberry for medicinal purposes usually involves using organic methods for its
production. Few pesticides are cleared for use on medicinal herbs.
Critical pest
control issues:
Grower should pick disease and pest resistant cultivars when they are available.
Beneficial insects should be encouraged.
Expert contact:
Kevin Ernst
Trout Lake Farm LLC
P.O. Box 181
Trout Lake, Wa. 98650
509 395 2025
Location
of production: Asotin, Chelan, Grant, Klickitat, Okanogan and Whatcom counties.
Dried wolfberries
Wolfberries on the plant