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Lycium barbarum
| Common name: |
Box Thorn |
Family: |
Solanaceae |
| Author: |
L. |
Botanical references: |
11, 200 |
| Synonyms: |
Lycium megistocarpum (Dun.), Lycium lanceolatum (Veillard.), Lycium halimifolium (Mill.), Lycium europaeum (non L.) |
| Known Hazards: |
Although no records of toxicity have been seen, some caution should be exercised with this species, particularly with regard to its edible leaves, since it belongs to a family that often contains toxins. However, use of the leaves is well documented and fairly widespread in some areas. The unripe fruit might also be suspect though the ripe fruit is wholesome. |
| Range: |
Original habitat is obscure but probably S.E. Europe to S.W. Asia. Naturalized in Britain. |
| Habitat: |
Hedges, on walls and waste ground[17]. |
| Edibility Rating (1-5): |
4 | Medicinal Rating (1-5): | 3 |
| Other Possible Synonyms: | From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below. |
| L. europeum[E]
L. halamifolium[E]
L. halmifolium[E]
L. vulgare[G,P]
|
| Other Common Names: | From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below. |
| A'Usaj [E], Boksdoorn [D], Cambronera [E], Chinese Wolfberry [H], Common Matrimony Vine [L], Gou-gi-zi [H], Mater Silvi [E], Matrimony Vine [H,E], Matrimony-vine [B], Matrimonyvine [P], |
| Epithets: | From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets |
|
barbarum = foreign;
|
| Systematics: | From a USDA Plants Database |
|
Order: Solanales. Potato family
|
| Other Range Info: |
From the Ethnobotany Database |
|
China; Europe; Iraq; Spain; Us
|
| Noxious, Invasive and Injurious Weeds | From USDA PLANTS database, Weeds Australia
, DEFRA Injurious Weeds | | Listed as noxious/invasive for: USA Invasive. |
Physical Characteristics
A decidious shrub growing to 2.5m by 4m at a medium rate. It is hardy to zone 7. It is in flower from June to August, and the seeds ripen from August to October. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees.
We rate it 4/5 for edibility and
3/5 for medicinal use.
The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, requires well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil.
The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils.
It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade.
It requires moist soil.
The plant can tolerate maritime exposure.
Habitats and Possible Locations
Hedge, Woodland, Sunny Edge, Dappled Shade, Walls.Edible Uses
Fruit; Leaves; Tea.
Fruit - raw or cooked[2, 105, 146]. The fruit is a berry about 2cm in
diameter[200, 206]. A mild sweet liquorice flavour[206]. Only the fully ripe
fruits should be eaten[K].
Young shoots - cooked[2, 46, 85, 105]. Used mainly as a flavouring, they can
also be lightly cooked for 3 - 4 minutes and used as a vegetable, the flavour
is somewhat cress-like but has also been described as peppermint-like[206].
The leaves wilt rapidly once they have been harvested[206]. Some caution is
advised, see notes at top of the page.
The leaves are a tea substitute[183].
Medicinal Uses
Disclaimer
Antibacterial; Anticholesterolemic; Antipyretic; Cancer; Diuretic; Hypoglycaemic; Ophthalmic; Purgative; Skin; Tonic; Vasodilator.
A sweet tonic decoction made from the fruits is used to lower blood
pressure and blood cholesterol levels[238]. It acts mainly on the liver and
kidneys[61, 176, 238]. The fruit is taken internally in the treatment of high
blood pressure, diabetes, poor eyesight, vertigo, lumbago, impotence and
menopausal complaints[238]. The fruit is harvested when fully ripe and is
dried for later use[238].
The root bark is a bitter, cooling, antibacterial herb that controls coughs
and lowers fevers, blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels[61, 176, 238].
It is taken internally in the treatment of chronic fevers, internal
haemorrhages, nosebleeds, tuberculosis, coughs, asthma etc[238]. It is
applied externally to treat genital itching[238]. The bark is harvested in
the winter and dried for later use[238].
Diuretic, purgative, [61, 176].
The plant has a long history of medicinal use, both as a general, energy
restoring tonic and also to cure a wide range of ailments from skin rashes
and eyesight problems to diabetes[206]. A tonic tea is made from the
leaves[206].
The fruit of many members of this genus is a very rich source of vitamins
and minerals, especially in vitamins A, C and E, flavanoids and other
bio-active compounds. It is also a fairly good source of essential fatty
acids, which is fairly unusual for a fruit. It is being investigated as a
food that is capable of reducing the incidence of cancer and also as a means
of halting or reversing the growth of cancers[214]. We have a more details factsheet on the history and medicinal use of this plant. Email webmaster@pfaf.org for details.
Other Uses
Hedge; Soil stabilization.
Can be grown as an informal hedge, succeeding in maritime exposure[59,
200].
Plants have an extensive root system and can be planted to stabilize sandy
banks[200, 206].
Cultivation details
An easily grown plant, it does not require a rich soil, flowering and
fruiting better in a well-drained soil of moderate quality[1, 200]. Succeeds
in impoverished soils[200], but more fertile soils are best if the plant is
being grown for its edible young shoots[206]. Requires a sunny position[200].
Some plants at Kew are growing well in light shade[K]. Tolerates maritime
exposure[11, 49, 200].
Plants are hardy to about -15°c[202].
There are some named varieties, selected for their ornamental value[206].
Plants are very tolerant of pruning and can regrow from old wood[202]. Any
trimming is best carried out in the spring[188].
Plants produce suckers freely and can become invasive when in a suitable
position. Otherwise they can be difficult to establish[202].
There is much confusion over the naming of this species. Most, if not all,
of the plants being grown as L. chinense or L. europaeum are in fact this
species[11].
Propagation
Seed - sow early spring in a greenhouse. Germination is usually good
and fairly quick. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are
large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first
winter. Plant out in late spring or early summer. Pinch out the shoot tips of
the young plants in order to encourage bushy growth[78].
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 10cm with a heel if possible, July/August in
individual pots in a frame. Good percentage[78].
Cuttings of mature wood of the current season's growth, autumn to late
winter in a cold frame. High percentage[78, 200].
Division of suckers in late winter. Very easy, the suckers can be planted
out direct into their permanent positions.
Layering.
Suppliers
For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.
PFAF Web Pages
This plant is mentioned in the following web pages
Web References
- [H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
- [E] Ethnobotany Data
(common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
- [B] Data
(Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
- [G] Data
(Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
- [C] Taxon data.
from the CalFlora database.
- [P] Data.
(uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
- [HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database
References for Lycium europaeum (a possible synonym).
References for Lycium europeum (a possible synonym).
References for Lycium halamifolium (a possible synonym).
References for Lycium halimifolium (a possible synonym).
References for Lycium halmifolium (a possible synonym).
References for the family Solanaceae.
See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.
Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.
[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
[2] Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
[17] Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962
A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
[46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
[49] Arnold-Forster. Shrubs for the Milder Counties.
Trees and shrubs that grow well in &ndndndnd and other mild areas of Britain. Fairly good, a standard reference book.
[59] Thurston. Trees and Shrubs in &ndndndnd.
Trees and shrubs that succeed in &ndndndnd based on the authors own observations. Good but rather dated.
[61] Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974 ISBN 0094579202
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
[78] Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948
A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
[85] Harrington. H. D. Edible Native Plants of the Rocky Mountains. University of New Mexico Press 1967 ISBN 0-8623-0343-9
A superb book. Very readable, it gives the results of the authors experiments with native edible plants.
[105] Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976
The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.
[146] Gamble. J. S. A Manual of Indian Timbers. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh 1972
Written last century, but still a classic, giving a lot of information on the uses and habitats of Indian trees. Not for the casual reader.
[176] Yeung. Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles 1985
A very good Chinese herbal.
[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
[188] Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990 ISBN 0-86318-386-7
Excellent range of photographs, some cultivation details but very little information on plant uses.
[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
[202] Davis. B. Climbers and Wall Shrubs. Viking. 1990 ISBN 0-670-82929-3
Contains information on 2,000 species and cultivars, giving details of cultivation requirements. The text is terse but informative.
[206] Larkcom J. Oriental Vegetables John Murray 1991 ISBN 0-7195-4781-4
Well written and very informative.
[214] Matthews. V. The New Plantsman. Volume 1, 1994. Royal Horticultural Society 1994 ISBN 1352-4186
A quarterly magazine, it has articles on Himalayacalamus hookerianus, hardy Euphorbias and an excellent article on Hippophae spp.
[238] Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
Readers Comments
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Bibliography
Plant information taken from the
Plants For A Future -
Species Database.
Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
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