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Native Plant Society of Texas

Berlandier's Wolfberry

Lycium berlandieri

Other common name(s):

Wolfberry

Family:

Solanaceae (Nightshade Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

This map uses data from the US EPA. EPA  servers have been offline frequently so maps may not display. We are working on a solution.

Chihuahuan Deserts, Edwards Plateau, Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, High Plains, Southern Texas Plains, Southwestern Tablelands
Chihuahuan Basins and Playas, Chihuahuan Desert Grasslands, Chihuahuan Montane Woodlands, Low Mountains and Bajadas, Stockton Plateau
Edwards Plateau Woodland, Llano Uplift, Semiarid Edwards Plateau
Lower Rio Grande Alluvial Floodplain, Lower Rio Grande Valley, Southern Subhumid Gulf Coastal Prairies
Arid Llano Estacado, Llano Estacado, Rolling Sand Plains, Shinnery Sands
Rio Grande Floodplain and Terraces, Texas-Tamaulipan Thornscrub
Caprock Canyons Badlands Breaks, Flat Tablelands and Valleys, Semiarid Canadian Breaks

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Shrub

Height

2
to
8
ft.

Spread

3
to
4
ft.

Leaf Retention

Evergreen

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Sand, Loam, Clay, Gravelly, Well Drained, Dry

Light Requirement

Sun, Part Shade

Water Requirement

Low

Native Habitat

Grassland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

White, Blue, Purple

Bloom Season

Spring, Summer, Fall

Seasonal Interest

Fruit, Forage, Nectar, Larval Host

Wildlife Benefit

Browsers, Butterflies, Birds, Small Mammals, Nectar Insects, Deer

Maintenance

Can tolerate various soil types. Pinching back young shoots promotes a bushier appearance. Native habitat: flats, washes or arroyos, dry, gravelly to sandy hills and bajadas, and rocky slopes. Propagation: seed, semi-hardwood cuttings, softwood cuttings.

Comments

Blooms February-October. A rangy, sprawling shrub. Sparingly branched, with few thorns at the end of somewhat crooked branches, that are tan to silvery-gray, the older stems often dark reddish brown. The small, tubular flowers have 4 or 5 lobes, followed by round, red berries. The long leaves are spatulate and mostly smoot. Larval host: Mexican Agapema Silkmoth (Agapema anona), various Sphinx Moths (family Sphingidae), Prominent Moths (family Notodontidae), and Crambid Snout Moths (family Crambidae).

References

Learn about how to propagate Texas native plants.

Material Treatment Method Collection References
Seed Stratification Mash the very wet berries with a potato masher, fork, and/or fingers to separate pulp. Follow with a wet ferment for one week in a gallon jar. Water winnow and rinse through No. 20 sieve.It may be possible to skip the fermenting step and simply separate the pulp after mashing. Rock tumblers can also be used to separate the pulp from the seeds (Dreeson 2004). Cleaned seeds should be stored in cool, dry, airtight containers ~5°C (Bonner and Karrfalt 2008). Germination rates of some Lycium sp. increase with cold stratification, although it varies between species and some do not require stratification (Bonner and Karrfalt 2008). Untreated Lycium andersonii seeds have germination rates between 68% and 94% while Lycium barbarum seeds need 60-120 days of cold stratification in moist sand at 5°C to achieve germination results of 74% (Bonner and Karrfalt 2008). 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. Collect mature berries by hand. 1) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=LYBE 2) https://rngr.net/npn/propagation/protocols/lycium-berlandieri-lycium#:~:text=Mash%20the%20very%20wet%20berries,(Bonner%20and%20Karrfalt%202008). 3) https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Lycium+berlandieri#:~:text=Plant%20Propagation,Layering. 4) https://www.fs.usda.gov/database/feis/plants/shrub/lycber/all.html#:~:text=Stratified%20seeds%20of%20other%20wolfberry,establishment%20of%20other%20woody%20species.
Semi-harwood Cutting 1) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=LYBE 2) https://www.fs.usda.gov/database/feis/plants/shrub/lycber/all.html#:~:text=Stratified%20seeds%20of%20other%20wolfberry,establishment%20of%20other%20woody%20species.
Softwood Cutting You can take a 4-5 inch long cutting, remove the leaves from the lower two-thirds of the stem, and dip the cuttings in rooting hormone. The best time to take cuttings is during the spring season when the new stems have developed. 1) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=LYBE 2) https://www.fs.usda.gov/database/feis/plants/shrub/lycber/all.html#:~:text=Stratified%20seeds%20of%20other%20wolfberry,establishment%20of%20other%20woody%20species. 3) https://www.botanikks.com › plants › lycium-berlandieri
Suckers Division The suckers can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. Division of suckers in late winter. 1) https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Lycium+berlandieri#:~:text=Plant%20Propagation,Layering. 2) https://www.fs.usda.gov/database/feis/plants/shrub/lycber/all.html#:~:text=Stratified%20seeds%20of%20other%20wolfberry,establishment%20of%20other%20woody%20species.

About the Region

Fall Symposium 2025 Logo - Teach for the Future

Salado, the location of our Fall 2025 Symposium, lies at the intersection of two ecoregions: the Edwards Plateau (Limestone Cut Plain) and Blackland Prairie (Northern Blackland Prairie).

The Edwards Plateau area is also called the Hill Country; however, this general term covers a much larger area extending farther north. Spring-fed creeks are found throughout the region; deep limestone canyons, rivers, and lakes (reservoirs) are common. Ashe juniper is perhaps the most common woody species found throughout the region. Additional woody species include various species of oak, with live oak (Quercus fusiformis) being the most common. Sycamores (Platanus occidentalis) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) border waterways. This area is well known for its spring wildflower displays, though they may be viewed in spring, late summer, and fall, as well. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, average annual rainfall in the Edwards Plateau ranges from 15 to 34 inches.

The Blackland Prairie extends from the Red River south to San Antonio, bordered on the west by the Edwards Plateau and the Cross Timbers, and on the east by the Post Oak Savannah. Annual rainfall averages 30 to 40 inches, with higher averages to the east. This region is dominated by prairie species. The most common grass species include little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) in the uplands and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) in the riparian areas and drainages. Common herbaceous flowering plants include salvias, penstemons, and silphiums. This area has suffered greatly from overgrazing and agricultural use. Few intact areas remain, though many of the plants can be found along county roadsides throughout the region.

Our fall Symposium host chapter, the Tonkawa Chapter, includes both of these ecoregions.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason