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Info Wanted: GoeGeai in Cantonese. Gouqi in Mandari

Dream
20 years ago

I have been looking for a vegetable for a while and hope you veterans out there can help me! Because Google has been no good.

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

Comments (24)

  • Violet_Z6
    20 years ago

    Hi 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

  • Dream
    Original Author
    20 years ago

    Hi Violet,
    I sent you an email as instructed, only to realize that it is sent under my hubbie's email because of the way our computer is set up.

    So here I am going to send you another one.

    Thanks again!

    Kath

  • carol33
    20 years ago

    Hi Violet,

    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

  • Violet_Z6
    20 years ago

    Hi 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.

    :)


  • ladyjenny
    20 years ago

    I bought some wolfberry seeds from richters.com. The seeds sprouted fine, however the leaves are elongated shape, not the round shape I was looking for. Does any one know where I can find the round shaped lycium?

    Thanks!

  • Changsong
    19 years ago

    Hi Violet: Remember you sent me 2 plants last year? I planted them on ground early this year. One was gone mysteriously (maybe eaten by squirel?). Then the weather got chilly and frozen again, and the plant lost all its leaves and looked bad. I thought I had lost it. But yesterday I checked it again, and new green leaves are coming out. I'm so glad!

    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

  • Violet_Z6
    19 years ago

    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.

  • Changsong
    19 years ago

    Thanks for the information, Violet. We did send our soil sample and we're still waiting for the result.
    I called the local Chinese grocery store and yes they are going to have GoQi vege this summer (actually they always did every summer). I'm thrilled about it. Miss it so much. Also called my mom back in China a while ago. She told me what we had at home might be different variety from the shrub type, and farmer grow them more as a vegetable (grown for leaves) than a perenial shrub (grown for berry). Unfortunately she could not find any seed source.
    I would think the type that the store will carry would be more similar to what I had back home. I'm going to try to root some when I buy them. Changsong

  • Violet_Z6
    19 years ago

    Changsong,

    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.

    :)

  • ladyjenny
    19 years ago

    Violet: What is the shape of your lycium leaves? My dad just told me the kind of pointy leaves is actually better than the ones with round leaves.
    If you don't mind, I would love to have a cutting because I have a hard time starting them from seeds.
    Thanks!

  • Violet_Z6
    19 years ago

    ladyjenny,

    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.

  • richard_505
    19 years ago

    To grow them from cuttings, I strip 1-2 year old stems of all the leaves and then stick it in dirt and water every two days. I find that about 6" gives me the best results. As long as you water them for the first two weeks, its pretty much impossible to not have them grow. If you want it to produce larger leaves, plant it in the shade. I experimented with some in pots and full sun. They flowered every year and produced red berries.

  • Changsong
    19 years ago

    Thanks for the information, although I kind of feel disappointed about the need of using 1-year wood. I don't know whether I'm still going to give it a try. Violet I think you are absolutely right about the flavour. Any of these leaves will taste great. Changsong

  • bobolink
    19 years ago

    Actually, 1-year wood is not absolutely neccessary. The new wood will grow root, too, just not as easily. My aunt gave me some young stems for soup and I put the wood in water with some Miracle Grow. Most of them grew roots.

    ~Ben

  • Eric_Burke
    19 years ago

    I planted a whole wolfberry, and about 20 plants have sprouted from it. They have pointed seed leaves, I am still waiting for the real leaves to come in.
    Should I thin them? Or will one of the plants just naturally dominate the others?

    Eric in Japan

  • Violet_Z6
    19 years ago

    Eric,

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

    ;)

  • Violet_Z6
    18 years ago

    Did you thin them Eric_Burke?

  • Violet_Z6
    18 years ago

    For those of you growing this, how are they doing? What did they look like last fall for you? Did you make soup from the leaves? Harvest berries?

  • forever_a_newbie_VA8
    17 years ago

    Violet: Thought I should post in this thread.

    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

  • Violet_Z6
    17 years ago

    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...

  • starbird
    17 years ago

    I've always wanted to know the botanical name of this shrub, now I know. Thanks Violet.

    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.

  • Violet_Z6
    17 years ago

    Had some people asking me personally how to consume this. As with most plants, there are as many recipes as there are people. So how about it? How do you like to utilize the leaves and berries in your cooking? Recipes would be appreciated for those who have never tried cooking with this plant before.

  • bobolink
    17 years ago

    I am surprised nobody has shared on how they consume this nutritious plant and berry. My mom put the dried berries in soup all the time. She buys 1-pound bags from Chinatown. Since I transplanted my gouqi plants from the side yard to the community garden this year, I've been making soup with the leaves, sometimes gouqi egg drop soup and sometimes liver or pork. Very simple, easy, and quick. Stripping the leaves off takes the most time :-)

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

    Ben

  • Violet_Z6
    17 years ago

    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.

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