I love a simple and quick and good-for you egg and Goegeai Soup my mom always makes and I miss it here without mom and her fresh Cantonese market backhome.

Goegeai is a darkgreen thum-size leaf vegetable that you pick off a thorny stem. They usually don't get taller than 4 feet. In mandarin I think it is pronounced GouQi?

Can anybody direct me to a place where I can find plants or, buy the vegetable and try my luck propagating?

Thanks ever so much!

Kath

You are referring to "Lycium chinense" which is the Botanical/Scientific/Latin Name (for more information on names, check this forum's FAQ).

It has many names including Chinese Boxthorn and Chinese Wolfberry. Both the leaves, berries, and stems, can be used in cooking.

Email me directly by clicking on my name and I may be able to send you a cutting.

:)

Violet

So here I am going to send you another one.

Thanks again!

Kath

Does the color of berries is red and also good for eye.
Do you know how long can the plant produces the berries. In CA I never see the plant can bear berries, Do they are the different kinds of plant?
Carol

The plant I have produces berries every fall. There are different varieties of "Lycium chinense" and it would take further research to find if they all produce berries or not, but I believe they do. It is possible environmental conditions are not conducive to berry production.

Here is information on the berries.

:)

Thanks!

I have a question, though. Somewhere I read that this plant likes alkine soil, and I'm afraid our soil is weak acidic to neutral. Do you know your soil condition? Do you think I should put some lime in my soil?

Again thanks very much for your kindness and happy gardening.

Changsong

The soil in my area is naturally more acidic than not.

If I were you, I'd get in contact with my local Extension Service and get a soil test. They usually cost no more than buying a kit from a store and they are in much more detail. You'll know exactly what type of soil you have and how to amend it. (You can inquire at the "Soil Compost, Mulch Forum" here at GardenWeb.

As you know now, the plant is perennial. It takes a few years to get going but when it does, you'll eventually have a shrub. Be sure to prune it back in the fall or early spring to encourage new growth on old wood.

I assure you the one I have is for vegetable purposes and berries if given enough time to mature. It came from China.

Please keep me informed of how the grocery cuttings do. It is more inclined to root from old wood (one year old woody stems) than new growth, but maybe it will work for you.

:)

Mine start out round and become pointy. I think it depends on season and seather conditions. Taste is often determined by what a person ate when they grew up with - comfort food. As rare as they are to find in the states, I'd think that any lycium leaves would be better than none. Please do not make your request here within the thread. As posted in the second post above, email me directly.

~Ben

Eric in Japan

This plant is a shrub. I would either space them further apart when they get larger or give some to friends...

;)

I made a small soup dish this evening, with only 1/3 of leaves that I considred enough. The leaves carry the distinct pleasant flavour as what we had in China, though on a milder side.

As for the plants, the leaves are not as dense. There are no thorns on the branch.

I believe we lost all the berries to birds. Last time I checked they were dark purple. I'll try to save some from the birds this year. They ate each and all the seeds of Hong-Cai-Tai the other year and we finally gave up. A never-won-battle for us :)

Thanks everyone and happy gardening.

Changsong

The leaves will be more dense 2-3 weeks after you prune.

;)

As for flavor, I believe the hotter it is and the more sun they get, the stronger the flavor. So since it's early in the season the flavor will be more mild. Let us know how they are later in the season...

Mine's are growing really well in the New England weather. I planted them for about five years and only the last two years the plants beared fruits(lots of fruits). Both the fruits and the leaves make great soup.

This plant is by far one of the easiest plant/vegetable I ever grow. It requires very little maintenance and continue growing until the first frost for me.

If anyone interested in a cutting, I'll be happy to share.

My plan eventually is to grow a hedge of them for berries.

Ben

I think you haven't seen discussion on consumption because most everyone here already knows how to use it, but not how to grow it. The most common use for the foliage is in soups, very similar to watercress. The berries are often dried, also used in soup and very similar to raisins.