Lycium carolinianum
Family: Solanaceae
Plant Description: Spiny semi-evergreen shrub to 1 m or higher with upright to spreading stems. Leaves 1-5 cm long, linear, spatulate, alternate thick and succulent. Flowers radial, axillary, the corolla 1.5-2.5 cm wide, blue-violet or lavender, four lobed. Fruits red.
Plant Trivia: Christmas berry derived from the fruit ripening to red around. Christmas.
Field Identification:
Occurrence: Found along the coast, mostly along beaches or in salt flats or marshes
Bloom Period: April-October
Plant Use: Important Winter forage for livestock. Berries are eaten by many birds, especially the Whooping Crane.
Key to species of Lycium:
- Corolla white to creamy………………………………………………………….L. berlandieri
Corolla blue-violet to lavender…………………………………………L. carolinianum
stxflora 