Lycium torreyi
Torrey's wolfberry
(c) Elliott Gordon, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Elliott Gordon · licence
Family: Solanaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.2
Lycium torreyi (Torrey's wolfberry) is a native California shrub in the Solanaceae family, recognized by climbing habit, large leaves, and woolly-ciliate corolla lobes.
Torrey's wolfberry is a California native shrub found in southern Desert Mountains and Desert Sonoran bioregions in washes and streambanks at elevations below 700 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces delicate green-lavender or white flowers 5 to 15 millimeters long with densely woolly-ciliate lobes. Growing up to 3.5 meters tall with slender, somewhat climbing twigs, this shrub has a distinctive branching structure that allows it to spread across its desert habitat. Its narrow leaves range from 1 to 5 centimeters long, typically appearing oblanceolate to obovate and clustered with small hair tufts. The fruit is a bright red or orange berry 6 to 10 millimeters long, providing a striking contrast against the plant's muted green foliage.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 5 sympatric species; key features are climbing habit, large leaves, and woolly-ciliate corolla lobes
Habitat and range
Habitat: Washes, streambanks
Elevation: < 700 m
Outside California: to Utah, Texas, northern Mexico
Bloom period
Lycium torreyi blooms Mar-May.
Conservation status
CNPS 4.2
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 torreyi native to California?
Yes. Lycium torreyi is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Lycium torreyi bloom?
Lycium torreyi blooms Mar-May.
What plant family does Lycium torreyi belong to?
Lycium torreyi is in the Solanaceae family, genus Lycium.
Is Lycium torreyi rare or endangered?
Lycium torreyi carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.2, state rank S3.
What habitat does Lycium torreyi grow in?
Lycium torreyi grows in Washes, streambanks.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Lycium andersonii — Anderson's wolfberry
- Lycium barbarum — Matrimony vine
- Lycium brevipes — Baja desert-thorn
- Lycium californicum — California box-thorn
- Lycium chinense — Chinese wolfberry
- Lycium cooperi — Cooper's wolfberry
- Nicandra physalodes — Apple of peru
- Nicandra sp.
- Nicotiana acuminata var. multiflora — Manyflower tobacco
- Nicotiana attenuata — Coyote tobacco
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.