Goji Berry in Zone 5a & 5b
Lycium barbarum
Yes, goji berry grows in zones 5a and 5b and comes back each year. Set out nursery plants Apr 26–May 3.
When to plant goji berry in zone 5b
Zones 5a and 5b share the same average frost dates, so this page covers both.
Method: Buy as a start: Buy as a nursery start and transplant outside. It's slow or unreliable from seed, so most gardeners skip seed-starting it entirely.
| Start indoors | Not started from seed; buy as a nursery start |
|---|---|
| Direct sow / transplant outside | Apr 26–May 3 |
| Estimated harvest | First real harvest in year 3 |
Spacing: about 20 square feet per plant (square-foot-gardening spacing). Mature height: 3-6 ft.
Before you plant: Goji berry has a winter-hardiness note for zone 5b. See the details below.
Plant alongside it in zone 5b
These go outside within two weeks of goji berry in zone 5b, so one planting day can cover them.
- AppleApr 26–May 3
- ApricotApr 26–May 3
- Aronia (Black Chokeberry)Apr 26–May 3
- ElderberryApr 26–May 3
- Honeyberry (Haskap)Apr 26–May 3
- LingonberryApr 26–May 3
Goji berry, also called wolfberry, is a relative of tomato and pepper that shares some of their cultural needs, notably a taste for slightly alkaline soil rather than the acidic conditions most fruiting shrubs prefer.
How goji berry fits zone 5's season
Zone 5b's frost-free window runs about 148 days, from May 10 to October 5. Goji berry takes about 2 growing seasons to reach first worthwhile harvest, so what matters here is how many of these seasons it gets, not whether one is long enough.
Goji berry is hardy in zones 4-7, so in zone 5b it stays in the ground through winter and comes back rather than being replanted. Allow about 5 ft of spread at maturity.
Goji Berry planting windows in every zone
Zone 5b is highlighted. Useful for comparing against a neighbouring zone, or for a garden somewhere else.
| Zone | Start indoors | Sow or plant out | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4a & 4b | Buy as a start | May 1–May 8 | First real harvest in year 3 |
| 5a & 5b (your zone) | Buy as a start | Apr 26–May 3 | First real harvest in year 3 |
| 6a & 6b | Buy as a start | Apr 11–Apr 18 | First real harvest in year 3 |
| 7a & 7b | Buy as a start | Mar 27–Apr 3 | First real harvest in year 3 |
Good companions
No well-established companions for goji berry.
Where to buy goji berry starts
Goji berry is almost always bought as a nursery start rather than seeded. Check a local nursery or garden center; we haven't vetted online start/plant suppliers yet.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Some links on this page also go to other retailers we may earn a commission from as an affiliate, at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products with a clear consensus of positive, independent reviews, or ones we bought and use ourselves. Each item on our gear page says which.
See it growing
Search YouTube for "growing goji berry" videos → (a live search, not a hand-picked video; results vary and aren't vetted by us)
← Back to the full zone 5b calendar · Plan your beds in the Garden Designer →
Pin this for later
Growing Goji Berry in USDA zone 5b: when to start seeds indoors, when to direct-sow, and when to expect a harvest.
Save to Pinterest