Lycium pallidum - Miers.

Edible Parts: Fruit
Edible Uses:

Pale wolfberry is one of the most valuable edible shrubs of the southwestern deserts. Its reliable crops of sweet, juicy berries, excellent drought tolerance, and long history as an Indigenous food plant make it an outstanding resource for both wildlife and foragers. When harvested ripe and eaten in moderation, the berries are among the best native fruits available in arid regions [2-3]. The berries are edible fresh or cooked. As with other wolfberries, large quantities may cause digestive upset, so eat them in moderation. You can eat ripe berries fresh, cook them into sauces, or dry them for later use. Other parts of the shrub are not regarded as edible. Edibility Rating: 5 out of 5 – One of the finest native fruit-producing shrubs of the southwestern deserts. Taste and Preparation: Pale wolfberry was one of the species evaluated during fieldwork and closely matches the general description for edible wolfberries. The ripe berries vary from orange to red and are soft, juicy, and pleasantly sweet, with a flavor reminiscent of ripe tomatoes combined with a slight citrus-rind bitterness. The numerous small seeds are soft enough to be eaten with the fruit. Fresh berries are excellent eaten directly from the shrub or combined with wild onions to make fresh salsa. Cooking produces a thick, sweet, tomato-like sauce that works well in soups, stews, and other savory dishes. Fresh berries spoil quickly unless refrigerated and are best eaten soon after harvest or dried for later use. Once dried, they resemble raisins and become noticeably sweeter than the fresh fruit [2-3]. Seasonality: Pale wolfberry flowers from late winter into early spring, with berries ripening during spring and early summer. Fruit production is generally reliable, even during dry years, and a second crop may develop after summer rainfall [2-3]. Traditional Uses: Wolfberries were among the most important native fruits available to Indigenous peoples throughout the deserts of the Southwest. People gathered the berries fresh, cooked them into sauces, and dried them for storage, providing an important seasonal food resource where few other fleshy fruits were available [2-3]. Safety: Although ripe berries are edible, eat them in moderation, as excessive consumption may cause digestive upset. Use care when harvesting because the shrub has sharp thorns. We recommend proper identification before consuming any wild Lycium species [2-3]. Fruit - raw, cooked or dried for later use[[46, 61, 85, 183, 257]. The fruit keeps well when dried and ground into a meal[183]. The fruit should be perfectly ripe if it is eaten raw[95]. The Hopi Indians boiled the fruit, drained off the water and ground the fruit into a mush. Clay was then mixed with water until a thick consistency was achieved, this was mixed with the berries and the whole lot eaten[216]. The fruit is about 10mm in diameter[200].

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Cancer  Odontalgic

The ground up root has been placed in a tooth cavity to bring relief from toothache[257]. The bark and the dried berries have been used as a 'life medicine'[257]. The fruit of many members of this genus is a very rich source of vitamins and minerals, especially in vitamins A, C and E, flavanoids and other bio-active compounds. It is also a fairly good source of essential fatty acids, which is fairly unusual for a fruit. It is being investigated as a food that is capable of reducing the incidence of cancer and also as a means of halting or reversing the growth of cancers[214].

Soil stabilization

Plants have an extensive root system and can be planted to stabilize banks[200].

Special Uses