If you have never seen a Lycium berry before, then imagine a red raisin with skin that is not glossy, but flat/matte. These berries come from two different species of shrubs (Lycium barbarum L. and Lycium chinense Mill.), native to northern and eastern Asia, respectively.
Ripe fruits are collected in the summer or fall from both wild and cultivated plants, rid of stalk, left in a shady and airy area until skin is wrinkled, and then sun dried or oven dried until skin is dried but the whole fruit is still soft to the touch. Lycium fruit comes in numerous grades. Top grades consist of fruits that are large, bright red or purplish red, soft to the touch and taste sweet.
Dr. Albert Leung’s book, Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Foods, Drugs and Cosmetics, 2nd Edition presents technical information and traditional medicinal uses of Lycium berries, as well as similar info for about 500 other herbs.
The encyclopedia entry for Lycium fruit spans four pages (pp. 358-361).
For more information about Dr. Leung and his writings, visit www.earthpower.com.
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