Goji Berry Companion Planting

Shrubs

• When choosing shrubs to plant with your goji berry, select low- and slow-growing species that won't compete with the goji's root system. The Red Sprite winterberry (Ilex verticillata "Red Sprite") grows slowly to 4 feet tall. This evergreen has a compact, rounded shape and produces white flowers followed by red fruits. It has serrated, dark foliage and is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9. The winterberry thrives in full sun to partial shade and a range of soil types. The sheep laurel (Kalmia angustifolia var. caroliniana) also grows slowly, reaching reaches heights of 3 feet with a 3-foot spread, and is hardy in zones 5 to 8. This evergreen has blue-green foliage and blooms with clusters of pink to purple flowers in early summer.

Ground Covers

• Choose shade-tolerant ground covers to fill in empty spaces under and around your goji plant. The Japanese ardisia (Ardisia japonica), thriving in shady, moist sites, is hardy in USDA zones 7 to 9. Forming a dense mat of tough, glossy foliage, this evergreen blooms with clusters of star-shaped, pink and white flowers in spring followed by long-lasting red fruits. Japanese sedge (Carex morrowii) also grows well in shaded sites with moist soil. This 12- to 16-inch-tall ground cover forms clumps of upright, dark-green foliage edged in white. It is hardy in zones 6 to 9 and tolerates drought.

Ornamental Grasses

• Ornamental grasses offer versatility and require little maintenance. Compatible species for your goji berry include blonde sedge (Carex albula), a 12-inch-tall grass that grows in cascades of fine, metallic fronds. Blonde sedge is hardy in USDA zones 7 to 9 and thrives in sun to partial shade and a range of soils. Nagasa bamboo (Sasa veitchii) grows from 32 to 60 inches tall and has wide, dark-green foliage that develops white margins as it matures. Nagasa bamboo prefers light to partial shade and thrives in a range of soil types. It is hardy in zones 6 to 9.

Perennials

• Plant perennials with your goji berry to add color to the landscape throughout the growing season. For spring color, plant alkanets (Anchusa azurea). Hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8, these 3- to 5-foot-tall perennials bloom through midsummer with clusters of small, bright blue flowers. Alkanets grow well in full sun to partial shade and moist, well-drained soil. Crocosmia (Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora) bloom in summer with red and orange blossoms. They grow to 3 feet tall and are hardy in zones 5 to 9. Crocosmia prefer sunny sites with moist, well-drained soil. For fall color, plant asters (Aster spp.). These late-bloomers blossom through autumn with purple, pink, white and blue flowers. Growing from 1 to 4 feet tall, asters are hardy in zones 5 to 8 and grow well in sunny, well-drained sites.