# What is this berry vine/bush/plant thing?



## RockyGlen (Jan 19, 2007)

This is growing up through the middle of our lilac bush. We never noticed it before this year. The first photo is mainly the flowering thing mixed in amongst the lilac bush In the upper left you can see a small purple flower and in the middle you can see two tiny orange buds - that is from the plant we are trying to identify. The second photo is most of the lilac bush - with the top, full part being the lilac bush and the hangy down things being the plant we want to identify. The third photo is a cutting from it, with one of the berries. The longest leaf on the cutting is 3 inches, and the berry is half an inch.







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## RoseGarden (Jun 5, 2005)

This looks like some variety of wolfberry to me. You can Google 'wolfberry' and see if it matches your plant. The purple flower is also indicative of the wolfberry vine. Wolfberry is native to many parts of the U.S. and there is some variation. The latin name is Lycium, but like I said, there are differenet varieties. Lycium barbarum is the 'goji berry' sold in healthfood stores, but Lycium berlandieri is another variety, and I think there are others as well. This is a desirable food plant for birds and wildlife. They are very easy to start from seed of the mature berries.


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## RockyGlen (Jan 19, 2007)

Yes!!! That is exactly what they look like. I wonder how in the world they ended up growing in my lilac bush, but I am thrilled to find they are edible, medicinal, and make good wine. 

What a blessing.....and thanks for the help!


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## chris30523 (Jun 11, 2005)

Bet you had a bird roost in your lilac bush that liked wolfberry. I wonder if those would grow here?


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## RoseGarden (Jun 5, 2005)

They should grow in GA, as there are several varieties around the country. There is even a Lycium that is adapted to the desert, although it's berries are supposed to be very bitter. I bought some seeds from Sandmountain Herbs and some sprouted very quickly but unfortunately the cats wallowed out that flat of plants and I didn't have time to restart any.


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## chris30523 (Jun 11, 2005)

I wonder if I should.Could they become invasive.Things have a nasty habit of doing too well around here.Privet,bittersweet,kudzu.


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