Ribes roezlii aka Sierra Gooseberry

Ribes roezlii belongs to the gooseberry family, Grossulariaceae. It is a deciduous shrub, which means it sheds its leaves. People call it Sierra gooseberry, mountain gooseberry, or Roezl’s gooseberry. It comes from the western United States, mainly California. Oregon State also places it in far southwestern Oregon. Its range runs through mountains across much of California. Kew lists it as a plant of temperate regions.

This spiny shrub grows from more than one stem. Oregon State gives a garden height near 4 feet [1.2 metres]. Virginia Tech gives a wider range of 2–5 feet [0.6–1.5 metres]. The amount of sun shapes how its branches grow. They stand upright in sun but can trail in shade. Plants may grow alone or form thickets. The bark turns gray-brown and splits with age. Small pores on the bark are called lenticels. Young twigs and their spines have a clear red tint.

Sharp spines grow at nodes, the joints along each branch. Each node may have one to three spines. Virginia Tech says these spines have three parts. It notes that no prickles grow between the nodes. Leaves grow in an alternate pattern along the stems. Each leaf is simple, not split into separate leaflets. The leaf blade is round, with three or five lobes. Round teeth line the edges of these lobes. Leaves reach about 0.08 feet [0.025 metres] across. Their surfaces may be smooth, hairy, or woolly. Virginia Tech says they have no sticky glands.

The small flowers hang down from the branches. Each grows alone or with one or two others. Five red-purple sepals bend back around each flower’s centre. Smaller petals form a tube inside the sepals. These petals are white or have a pink tint. Stamens and stigmas reach out past the petals. This strong contrast makes the flowers look showy. Fruits turn red to purple; some turn dark purple. Sources give fruit lengths around 0.04–0.08 feet [0.013–0.025 metres]. Thick spines cover the berries, along with bristles tipped with glands. Virginia Tech says the fruit is edible despite this sharp coat.

Oregon State advises growing this species in sun. It lists hardiness to USDA Zone 7. The shrub has an upright, branched shape with flowers that hang down. Its spiny stems and fruit stay distinct features as it grows.