Ribes cynosbati aka American Gooseberry

Ribes cynosbati is a deciduous shrub called eastern prickly gooseberry or dogberry. It belongs to the gooseberry family, Grossulariaceae. Its native range spans eastern Canada and much of eastern North America. It also reaches parts of the north-central United States. It grows in open woods, on loamy or rocky ground. In gardens, it suits woodland edges and sites with dappled shade. It reaches about 5 feet [1.5 metres] tall.

The leaves grow alternately along the stems and fall in autumn. Each leaf has three to five shallow lobes. Rounded teeth line the edges, and the base is heart-shaped. The upper face is dark green, with hairs and glands. The lower face is paler and also bears some hairs. Young stems are red-gray and may bear hairs and prickles. Some young growth is smooth instead. One to three long spines grow at each node. Older bark turns silver-gray with red tones and peels finely. Its spines remain in place.

Small flowers hang in loose clusters during mid-spring. Plants For A Future gives April as the flowering month. Each flower has both male and female parts. Insects carry pollen between the flowers. The blooms are pale yellow or white, with five petals. They have a tube-like shape and a hairy base. Round berries ripen to purple-red in midsummer. Short prickles cover their skins. The fruit has a tart taste and can be eaten fresh. It also suits pies, jelly and preserves, or drying for storage.

Grow this shrub in moist soil that drains well. Plants For A Future describes it as easy to grow. It prefers loam of at least fair quality. It can also grow in sandy or clay soils. It accepts mildly acid, neutral and mildly alkaline ground. Both sun and partial shade suit it. Deeper shade reduces the fruit crop. The source reports cold tolerance to about −20°C. Growers sometimes raise it for fruit in America. It helped give rise to cultivated American gooseberries. Crops may be light in Britain.

This species can host a stage of white pine blister rust. Plants For A Future therefore advises keeping it away from pines. Its prickly stems and fruit need care when handling. The same source lists no known toxicity hazards. It records past medicinal uses of roots and root bark. These records do not establish safe or effective treatments. The shrub offers edible fruit in a woodland garden setting.