Gooseberry

Profile

Family

Grossulariaceae

Habit

Shrub

Height

1.2 m

Spread

1.2 m

Growth

medium

Lifespan

35 years

First yield

after 3 years

Hardiness

zone 5–8

Shade tolerance

partial shade

Soil

Sand, Silt, Loam

Soil moisture

semi-dry – very moist

pH

5.5 – 7

Planned in gardens

3×

Flowering & harvest

Times apply to the northern hemisphere in a temperate climate and shift with altitude and cultivar.

Uses

Edible: Fruit - raw or cooked. The fruit is often harvested underripe and very firm, with a very tart taste at this stage, mainly used for making pies, jams, etc. However, if the fruit is allowed to ripen fully on the plant and becomes soft, it is quite sweet and delicious to eat out of hand. The fruit of the wild species often has a diameter of less than 1 cm, but named varieties have significantly larger fruits with a diameter of up to 3 cm. Leaves - raw. The young and tender leaves can be eaten in salads. Some caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity.

Medicinal: The fruit has a laxative effect. Cooked unripe gooseberries are used in spring as a tonic to cleanse the body. The leaves were used to treat gravel. An infusion taken before menstruation is said to be a useful tonic for adolescent girls. The leaves contain tannin and have been used as an astringent to treat dysentery and wounds.

Other uses: The pulp is used cosmetically in facial masks for its cleansing effect on oily skin.

Growing

Easy to grow in a moist, well-draining loamy soil of at least moderate quality. Growth is often poor in light soils, while heavy soils promote soft growth and excessive vigor. Prefers a pH range of 6 to 6.5 but can also thrive in more acidic or alkaline soils. It is important to add plenty of humus to lime-rich soils. The plants are fairly tolerant of shade but do not fruit as well in such locations. They can be grown against east or north walls. Fruits from plants on north walls ripen later, extending the harvesting period, but yields are lower. The plants do not like very hot weather. Dormant plants are hardy to about -20°C, but the flowers and young fruits are susceptible to frost damage. The plants are highly susceptible to potassium deficiency, especially in alkaline soils. Gooseberries are commonly cultivated in temperate regions for their edible fruits, with many named varieties. Birds love the fruits, so some protection is often necessary, especially when the fruits are fully ripe. The plants thrive best in cool, moist climates such as those in Northern Europe. The plants bear fruit best on one- and two-year-old wood, so any pruning should aim to promote vigorous new shoots. The plants can host a stage of white pine blister rust, so they should not be grown near pines. Plants of this genus are particularly susceptible to honey fungus.

Propagation

Seeds are best sown immediately in autumn when they are ripe in a cold frame. Stored seeds require 3 months of cold stratification at 0 to 5°C and should be sown as early as possible in the year. Under normal storage conditions, seeds can remain viable for 17 years or longer. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough and let them grow in a cold frame during the first winter before planting them out in late spring of the following year. Cuttings of semi-ripe shoots, 10 - 15 cm long with a heel, in July/August in a cold frame. Cuttings of mature wood from the current year, preferably with a heel from the previous year, from November to February in a cold frame or protected outdoor bed.

Notable

Special features: Different varieties increase the yield (preferably powdery mildew resistant); alternatively, the Oregon gooseberry (Ribes divaricatum) grows 3m tall; the best fruits ripen on 1-2-year-old wood; older shoots are removed at ground level in spring, leaving the bush with 4-5 1-3-year-old shoots; fully ripe as sweet as grapes.

Origin & habitat

Europe spans from Scandinavia in the north to North Africa, Italy, and the Caucasus in the south and east.

Hedges and forests are often found near streams.

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