Ribes punctatum

An evergreen shrub with year-round foliage, flowering April to May. Insect-pollinated and tolerates light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils with good drainage. Grows in semi-shade to full sun and prefers consistently moist soil. Suitable for mildly acidic to mildly alkaline conditions.

Description

A small shrub. It grows 60 cm high. The flowers are yellow. They have 5 petals. The fruit are 6-8 mm across.

This description is brief — help expand it

Edible Uses

The fruit, a blackcurrant, can be eaten raw or cooked.

Traditional Uses

The fruit are eaten fresh or dried.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

None known

Distribution

It is a warm temperate plant. In Chile it grows between 500-2,000 m above sea level. It can tolerate dry periods. It grows where the winter rainfall is 400-800 mm. It grows in full sun. It can tolerate some shade. It suits hardiness zone 9. It can tolerate some frost but not snow.

Where It Grows

Argentina, Bolivia, Chile*, Ecuador, Peru, South America*,

Cultivation

We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it could succeed outdoors at least in the milder parts of this country. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus. Easily grown in a moisture retentive but well-drained loamy soil of at least moderate quality. Plants are quite tolerant of shade though do not fruit so well in such a position. Plants can harbour a stage of 'white pine blister rust', so they 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 3 months of cold stratification at between 0 and 5°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 and grow on in a cold frame for their first winter, planting 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 of 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.

Also Known As

Brevilla, Grosella, Mulul, Parilla, Parriza, Uvilla, Zarzaparrilla

References (11)

• Chamorro, M. F., & Ladio, A., 2020, Native and exotic plants with edible fleshy fruits utilized in Patagonia and their role as sources of local functional foods. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies. 20:155
• Cordero, S. E., Abello, L. A., & Galvez, F. L., 2017, Plantas silvestres comestibles y medicinales de Chile y otras partes del mundo. CORMA p 111
• Correa, M. N., 1969–, Flora patagonica.
• Fl. peruv. 3:12, t. 233, fig. A. 1802
• Kermath, B. M., et al, 2014, Food Plants in the Americas: A survey of the domesticated, cultivated and wild plants used for Human food in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean. On line draft. p 748

More from Grossulariaceae

Grossularia cynosbati

Dogberry, Eastern Prickly Gooseberry, American wild gooseberry

Grossularia lobbii

Gummy gooseberry, Canyon Gooseberry, Sticky gooseberry

Grossularia missouriensis

Missouri gooseberry

Grossularia oxyacanthoides

American mountain gooseberry, Canadian Gooseberry, Smooth Gooseberry, Northern gooseberry

Grossularia roezlii

Sierra gooseberry, Roezl's Gooseberry

Grossularia rotundifolia

Appalachian gooseberry, Round-leaved gooseberry