Edible : Leaves as condiment, Spice, Tea, Fruit, Seeds - coffee, Vegetable, Seeds-oil
A spiny deciduous shrub. It grows 4.5 m high. The branches are stiff, straight and unbranched. The branches have long thorns. These are where the leaves sprout from the stem. There are only a few leaves. The leaves are oval and vary between 2-6 cm long. They are dark green. The flowers are purplish. They are tube shaped and held in clusters of 1 to 4. The fruit are reddish-orange berries. They hang down. The fruit are 25 mm long.
A Mediterranean climate plant. It will grow in the highlands in warm tropical countries. In Indonesia it grows at about 2,000 m above sea level. Photo from Singapore. It suits hardiness zones 6-10. In Yunnan. In Sichuan.
Other names : Chinese boxthorn, Chinese matrimony-vine, Cauqui, Chinese teaplant, Chinese wolfberry, Chu chi, Daun koki, Gau gei choi, Gouqi, Gou qi cai, Gugijanamu, Holly Willow, Kaokichai, Kaukichai, Kaukichoy, Kei-chi, Kitajska kustovnica, Kou-chi, Kou-kay-choi, Kuko, Matrimony vine,
Synonyms :
Lycium barbarum var. chinense (Mill.) Aiton;
Lycium ovatum Poir.;
Lycium rhombifolium (Moench) Dippel;
Lycium sinense Gren.;
Lycium trewianum Roem. & Schult.;