This is a plant that we also know by the names of, cambronera, espina santa, cambrón, African hawthorn, cambroneras and also as old scratches. In the market it has been associated with goji berry, being a plant that usually grows in the Himalayas. The truth is that the Tibetan soil does not have the necessary conditions for this plant to be cultivated or harvested.
On the other hand, the crops of this plant are quite popular and are documented in some areas of China, which do meet each of the conditions for cultivation, development and also for export.
Characteristics of the Lycium intricatum
Currently, for the high commercial value that owns this plant, also is grown in other areas around the world and it has even been possible to document that it grows wild, in England, France, Belgium and Spain.
This it is a glandular shrub of very short shape, or at least in those parts that are younger.
Its stems can measure up to 200 cm, with a large amount of remaining; they are quite intricate, with very strong terminal spines, which are generally of a light color when young y they are gray or gray with shades in black when are they older.
Leaves of the cambronera have a alternate growth or also in brachyblasts, which are too short, forming fascicles with a maximum of eight. They have the shape, similar to that of a spatula, elliptical or domed, obtuse or also subobtuse and glandular when young, being in turn quite fleshy.
The inflorescences of this plant are reduced in a single flower and with an axillary growth. These flowers are a bit zygomorphic, braced, they are also hermaphrodite as well as pedicellate, with pedicels that can measure 4 mm.
The calyx of the same has a measurement that is between 1,7 and 3 mm, shaped Bell and with five lobes that are quite similar to each other.
Corolla It can have a measurement that is between 11 and 18 mm, it is violet color, with about five nerves, the stamens are inserted in the middle of the lower part of the tube that has the corolla, which are usually a bit uneven.
The fruit of this plant can measure 9 mm, with a shape similar to that of a sphere, orange or it can also be red and with seeds inside that measure 3 x 2,7 mm.
Lycium intricatum cultivation
The soil can generally be acidic or alkaline, with moderate humidity. Es must have excellent drainage to be able to withstand the droughts, so the system is root, so it is recommended that the soil of this plant has a high mineral content.
This is a plant that has the ability to withstand cold temperatures and it is not very demanding in cultivation.
It is necessary that we have to support each of the stems as well as the branches, that grow vigorously every year and that on certain occasions they can be quite a lot long. When left without this precautionary measure, they can spread on the ground.
If we want this plant to have an excellent appearance, it is necessary to prune it, as well as offer it a stimulus for its flowering and for its fruit production. When pruning, the fruits will have a better quality.
The cambronera is a silver that does not need a substrate that contains many nutrients, but it does has a high mineral content, so that in this way, the fruits have a lot of properties as well as qualities.