Ribes hirtellum

Ribes hirtellum is a species of gooseberry commonly known as wild gooseberry or swamp gooseberry. It is native to Canada and the northern United States. Cultivated gooseberries are derived from this species and from Ribes uva-crispa. Ribes hirtellum is known by several other names, including American gooseberry, hairy-stem gooseberry, hairy gooseberry, low wild gooseberry northern gooseberry, smooth gooseberry, and wedge-leaf gooseberry.

Description

A shrub. It grows 1 m tall. The branches have bristles. The leaves are widely oval. They have 3-5 lobes. The base is a broad triangle shape. The flowers are green to purple and in groups of 3. They are narrowly bell shaped. The fruit are purple or black.

Edible Uses

The fruit is eaten raw or cooked in jams, jellies, pies, and preserves. This smooth-skinned gooseberry has a pleasant taste and can also be dried for later use. The berries measure about 8–10mm in diameter.

Traditional Uses

The fruit are eaten raw, cooked or dried. They are used in jams, jellies, preserves, pies, tarts, and other desserts.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

None known.

Distribution

It is a cool temperate plant. It suits hardiness zone 3.

Where It Grows

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

Cultivation

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.

Propagation

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

Other Uses

None known.

Notes

There are about 150 Ribes species. It has been used to form hybrids.

Synonyms

References (13)

• Beckstrom-Sternberg, Stephen M., and James A. Duke. "The Foodplant Database." http://probe.nalusda.gov:8300/cgi-bin/browse/foodplantdb.(ACEDB version 4.0 - data version July 1994) (As Grossularia hirtella)
• Bianchini, F., Corbetta, F., and Pistoia, M., 1975, Fruits of the Earth. Cassell. p 156
• Facciola, S., 1998, Cornucopia 2: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, p 120
• Fisk, J. R. & Hoover, E., 2015, Wild Fruits of Minnesota. A Field Guide. University of Minnesota p 16
• Fl. bor.-amer. 1:111. 1803

More from Grossulariaceae

Ribes rotundifolium

Ribes rubrum

Red currant

Ribes rugosum

Ribes ruizii

Skunk currant

Ribes sachalinense

Ribes sanguineum

Pink-Flowering Currant, North American Red currant