Currant-Gooseberry, Hairystem gooseberry
Ribes hirtellum

Family: Grossulariaceae

What it is like

Ribes hirtellum is a deciduous Shrub growing to 1 m (3ft 3in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 4 and is not frost tender. It is in flower in April. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.

Height (m): 1

Where it is found

Rocky or swampy woods and clearings.

Northern N. America - Newfoundland to Manitoba, West Virginia and South Dakota.

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

Canada, Europe, France, North America*, USA,

How it is used

Food

Rating: 3

Fruit - raw or cooked in jams, jellies, pies, preserves etc. A smooth-skinned gooseberry with a pleasant taste. The fruit can also be dried for later use. The fruit is about 8 - 10mm in diameter.

Medicine

Rating: 0

Other

Rating: 0

Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.

How it is grown

Easily grown in a moisture retentive but well-drained loamy soil of at least moderate quality. Prefers a very sunny position. Hardy to about -20°c. Closely allied to R. uva-crispa and R. oxyacanthoides, it is often cultivated for its edible fruit and is the parent of many disease-resistant American gooseberry cultivars. It is sometimes crossed with European hybrids. Plants can harbour a stage of white pine blister rust, so should not be grown in the vicinity of pine trees. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus. For polyculture design as well as the above-ground architecture (form - tree, shrub etc. and size shown above) information on the habit and root pattern is also useful and given here if available. The plant growth habit is multistemmed with multiple stems from the crown.

Propagating it: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a cold frame. Stored seed requires 4 - 5 months cold stratification at between 0 to 9°c and should be sown as early in the year as possible. Under normal storage conditions the seed can remain viable for 17 years or more. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter, planting them out in late spring of the following year. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 10 - 15cm with a heel, July/August in a frame. Cuttings of mature wood of the current year's growth, preferably with a heel of the previous year's growth, November to February in a cold frame or sheltered bed outdoors.

Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade;

Habit: Shrub

Hardiness: 4-8

Growth:

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Grossularia hirtella. (Michx.)Cov.&Britt.