How to Grow Goumi

Elaeagnus multiflora · Zones 4-8

Goumi is a perennial grown for its fruit. It's hardy across USDA zones 4 through 8 and stands up to deer. Its spring flowers are a moderate draw for honeybees and native bees, even though the fruit is the prize. A nitrogen-fixer, it draws nitrogen from the air and feeds it back to the soil — turn it under or leave the roots in place, and the next planting inherits a richer bed.

Zones

4-8

pH Range

6-8.5

Sun

Full Sun

Days to Maturity

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USDA PLANTS DatabaseUSDA PHZM 2023ASPCA

What Goumi is

Goumi grows as a perennial and reaches around eight feet at maturity. It blooms yellow in spring. It's also deer-resistant.

How to grow Goumi

Goumi grows in USDA zones 4 through 8. Goumi does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 6 to 8.5, on well-drained ground. It needs around 1,800 growing degree days to mature, a growing season of at least 120 frost-free days, and about 500 hours of winter chill to set fruit, which is why climate matters as much as soil.

USDA Zones

4-8

USDA PHZM 2023

Soil pH

6 - 8.5

USDA PLANTS Database

Sun

Full Sun

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Drainage

well (dry spells)

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Frost Tolerance

41°F

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GDD Required

1800+

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Mature Height

8 ft

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Chill Hours

500+

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Frost-Free Days

120+

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  1. Start the season right

    Plant goumi in full sun with at least 6 hours of direct sun, once the soil has warmed and frost risk has passed.

  2. Match the soil

    Goumi prefers pH 6 to 8.5 (USDA PLANTS Database). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band. It fixes its own nitrogen, so skip the high-nitrogen feed and instead dust the seed with a matching rhizobium inoculant at sowing.

  3. Water steadily

    Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.

  4. Harvest at maturity

    Pick when the fruit is full-colored and parts easily from the stem. Local Cooperative Extension guides publish timing tables.

Good to know

Good news for pet owners — goumi isn't known to be toxic to dogs or cats. (Source: ASPCA.)

Goumi offers moderate value to bees and other pollinators. (Source: Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership.)

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See if Goumi will thrive on your land

Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether goumi actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I grow Goumi in my zone?

Goumi grows in USDA hardiness zones 4 through 8 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.

When should you plant Goumi?

Most growers plant goumi after the last spring frost, once the soil has warmed, leaving enough of the season for its 120-day frost-free need. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.

How much sun does Goumi need?

Goumi needs full sun — a spot that catches at least 6 hours of direct summer sun a day. In more shade it still grows, but usually gives a smaller, later crop. The catch is that a yard rarely gets even light everywhere — a fence, the house, or one tall tree can quietly take those hours. A Growable Ground report reads the real sun-hours across your land, canopy and buildings included, so you can pick the brightest bed before you plant.

What soil does Goumi need?

Goumi prefers soil pH 6 to 8.5, on well-drained ground (USDA PLANTS Database). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.

Does Goumi attract pollinators?

Yes — goumi's flowers are a solid nectar source for honeybees and native bees (Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership).

Is Goumi safe for pets?

Goumi is not known to be toxic to dogs or cats based on available data (ASPCA). Always supervise pets around new plantings.