Lycium pallidum var. oligospermum
Pale wolfberry
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Family: Solanaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Lycium pallidum var. oligospermum (Pale wolfberry) is a native California shrub in the Solanaceae family, recognized by very thorny habit, glaucous leaves, and few-seeded green-purple fruits.
Pale wolfberry is a California native shrub found in the northern Mojave Desert and northern Colorado Desert on flats, washes, and slopes at elevations below 1,200 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces green-white flowers with purple tinge, bell-shaped with narrow funnel-shaped corollas. Growing 0.5 to 1.2 meters tall with many spreading to ascending branches, it is distinctively very thorny and glabrous. Its leaves are glaucous, oblong to narrowly obovate, 10 to 50 millimeters long, and arranged sparsely along the branches. The fruit is a firm, green-purple berry 8 to 10 millimeters long, containing 5 to 7 seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 5 sympatric species; key features are very thorny habit, glaucous leaves, and few-seeded green-purple fruits
Habitat and range
Habitat: Flats, washes, slopes
Elevation: < 1200 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Riverside, Inyo
Outside California: southern Nevada
Bloom period
Lycium pallidum var. oligospermum blooms Mar-May.
How to tell it apart
vs Prunus: Lycium has small tubular nightshade flowers; Prunus has 5-petaled rose-family flowers with many stamens.; vs Salvia: Lycium has thorny branches; Salvia has square stems and 2-lipped mint-family flowers without thorns.; vs Ceanothus: Lycium has thorns and tubular flowers; Ceanothus has tiny clustered flowers and no thorns.; vs Tetradymia: Lycium has tubular nightshade flowers; Tetradymia has yellow daisy-like composite flowers.; vs Atriplex: Lycium has tubular flowers and thorns; Atriplex has tiny wind-pollinated flowers without petals.
Frequently asked questions
Is Lycium pallidum var. oligospermum native to California?
Yes. Lycium pallidum var. oligospermum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Lycium pallidum var. oligospermum bloom?
Lycium pallidum var. oligospermum blooms Mar-May.
Where in California does Lycium pallidum var. oligospermum grow?
Lycium pallidum var. oligospermum occurs in San Bernardino, Riverside, Inyo, at elevations of < 1200 m.
What plant family does Lycium pallidum var. oligospermum belong to?
Lycium pallidum var. oligospermum is in the Solanaceae family, genus Lycium.
What habitat does Lycium pallidum var. oligospermum grow in?
Lycium pallidum var. oligospermum grows in Flats, washes, slopes.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.