A thorny East Asian shrub whose bright red berries, marketed as a superfood, have been used in Chinese medicine for over a thousand years.
Description
Goji is a sprawling deciduous shrub with grey arching thorny branches, slim oval leaves, and small purple flowers followed by oblong scarlet berries about a centimetre long.
Cultivation
Goji tolerates poor soil, salt, and drought once established, growing in full sun in many climates. Berries are usually picked when fully ripe by lightly shaking the bush onto a sheet.
Uses
Dried goji berries appear in Chinese soups, congee, and tea, and are now sold worldwide as a superfood snack with claims around immunity and antioxidant content.