How to Grow Goji Berries USA | Complete Growing Guide

At a Glance

Quick Facts

Factor	Value
Soil pH	5.5 - 8
Sunlight	6-8 hours direct sun
Soil texture	Clay, loam or sand (RHS); tolerates a wide range, drought-tolerant once established (NC State Extension)
Drainage	Moist but well-drained or well-drained; free-draining preferred (RHS)
Lifecycle	Hardy deciduous shrub, 5-10 years to full maturity (RHS)
Edible parts	fruit

Soil & Growing Conditions

Soil pH range

5.5 8

Span reflects genuine variation between the cited authorities, not a single agreed figure.

Growth Stages

Stage	BBCH	Notes
Propagation and establishment	0	Propagate by seed indoors in spring, hardwood cuttings in winter, softwood cuttings in early summer, layering in autumn, or suckers in late winter (RHS). Train against a wall or fence, or stake, since the plant naturally sprawls (RHS; NC State Extension).
Vegetative growth	3	Grow in full sun in free-draining soil enriched with compost. Once established, tolerates wind, salt-laden air and drought (RHS).
Flowering and fruit set	6	Begins fruiting after 2-3 years (RHS).
Harvest	8	Harvest from late summer until first frosts; only fully ripe fruit is edible, and it should be shaken onto a sheet rather than hand-picked, since handling turns unripe fruit black (RHS).

Harvest & Storage

When to pick: Harvest from late summer until the first frosts (RHS). Only fully ripe fruit is edible; it turns black if handled, so shake berries gently onto a sheet laid beneath the plant rather than picking by hand (RHS).

Diseases

Pests

Goji Berry Photo Gallery

Goji berries hanging on the shrub

Clusters of ripe red goji berries hanging from the shrub.

Ripe goji berries

A dense cluster of ripe goji berries.

Dried goji berries for sale

Dried goji berries and other dried herbs on sale in a market -- a common way the fruit is sold and used.

Goji flower

A goji flower, showing the small purple bloom typical of the species.

Goji growing as a hedgerow shrub

Goji growing as a dense, sprawling hedgerow shrub -- its naturally vigorous habit is why it needs training or containment.

Goji naturalised alongside a path

Goji growing in a naturalised stand alongside a path.

Goji flower and developing fruit

A goji flower alongside developing green fruit.

Goji flower detail

Close detail of a goji flower.

Goji growing in a naturalised setting

Goji berries and leaves on a naturalised plant.

References

1. North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox - Goji Berry (Lycium)

   Full sun (6+ hrs). Tolerates various soils, performs best in well-drained soil of moderate quality; drought-tolerant. Propagate by seed (preferred), cuttings, or layering. Naturally creeps along the ground -- benefits from staking for easier harvest. Berries display/harvest in summer, edible raw, cooked or dried. States that Lycium barbarum has become problematic across much of Europe, North America and Australia, and describes it as a federally recognised noxious weed in the United States.

2. Royal Horticultural Society - Lycium barbarum (F) Duke of Argyll's tea tree (goji berry)

   Clay, loam or sand, moist but well-drained or well-drained, acid/neutral/alkaline. Full sun for best fruiting (tolerates light shade), south/west-facing, exposed or sheltered. Hardiness H5 (-15 to -10C). Height/spread 2.5-4m, 5-10 years to maturity. Propagate by seed indoors in spring, hardwood cuttings in winter, softwood cuttings in early summer, layering in autumn, or lifting/replanting suckers in late winter. Fruits after 2-3 years. Harvest late summer until first frosts; only fully ripe fruit is edible; fruit turns black when handled, so shake gently onto a sheet rather than picking by hand. Train against a wall or fence for best fruiting. Pests: aphids, birds (netting recommended). Diseases: powdery mildews. Native to Europe to China. Family Solanaceae.

2 independent sources are cited for this crop. Where they disagree - soil pH is the clearest case - every figure is preserved rather than averaged into false precision.