Duke of Argyll's Tea-tree - Lycium barbarum

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Alternative names
Goji berry and as Duke of Argyll's Teaplant
Description

This is a deciduous shrub which reaches 2.5 metres, and the arching branches have a few spines. Leaves alternate or in small clusters, narrowly elliptical and widest at the middle. Flowers purple, becoming browner, trumpet shaped, 8 to 9 mm long, with protruding stamens. Fruit a small rather elongate orangey red berry.

Similar Species

Lycium chinense

Identification difficulty
Habitat

Hedges and scrub, often over old walls.

When to see it

June to September.

Life History

Perennial.

UK Status

Widely naturalised in England, scarcer elsewhere in Britain.

VC55 Status

Occasional in Leicestershire and Rutland. In the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire it was found in 53 of the 617 tetrads.

  • Craig Mabbett
    Broughton Astley Church Footpath
    14 May 2021
  • Craig Mabbett
    Broughton Astley Church Footpath
    14 May 2021
  • Graham Calow
    Atterton, Atterton Lane
    22 September 2022
  • steven lewis
    welby
    10 August 2015
  • Melinda Bell
    Moira,School Street
    16 May 2020
  • David Nicholls
    Oakthorpe
    04 May 2019
  • Graham Calow
    Broughton Astley
    24 June 2011
    fruits
  • Ron.stevens
    Broughton Astley
    02 July 2011
    fruit

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2020+ | 2015-2019 | pre-2015

UK Map

Species data profile ?

Species profile

Common names
Duke of Argyll's Tea-Tree, Duke of Argyll's Teaplant, Duke of Argyll's Teaplant
Species group:
Trees, Shrubs & Climbers
Kingdom:
Plantae
Order:
Solanales
Family:
Solanaceae
Records on NatureSpot:
13
First record:
24/06/2011 (Calow, Graham)
Last record:
22/09/2022 (Calow, Graham)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

The latest images and records displayed below include those awaiting verification checks so we cannot guarantee that every identification is correct. Once accepted, the record displays a green tick.

In the Latest Records section, click on the header to sort A-Z, and again to sort Z-A. Use the header boxes to filter the list.

Latest images

Latest records

  • Ron.stevens
    Broughton Astley
    24 June 2011
  • Ron.stevens
    Broughton Astley
    24 June 2011
  • David Nicholls
    Oakthorpe
    04 May 2019
  • Peter Smith
    Wolsey Island, Leicester
    06 May 2014
  • Graham Calow
    Broughton Astley
    24 June 2011
    flowers
  • martindgrimes
    Great Casterton
    22 August 2016
  • martindgrimes
    Great Casterton
    22 August 2016
  • martindgrimes
    Great Casterton
    22 June 2017
  • David Nicholls
    Oakthorpe
    04 May 2019
  • martindgrimes
    Great Casterton
    22 August 2016
  • Graham Calow
    Atterton, Atterton Lane
    22 September 2022