Description
Sold in bundles of 10.
At a Glance: Black gooseberry is a shrub with thick thorns and edible berries. Black gooseberry grows well in a variety of conditions including moist wooded areas, streambanks, and drier forested slopes. It is often found growing on rotting nurse logs.
Leaves: Alternate, deciduous almost maple-shaped leaves that are 2-5 cm wide. Most leaves have 5 indented lobes and a heart-shaped base, have toothed edges, and are dark green.
Flowers: Small, saucer-shaped flowers in drooping clusters of 7-15. Red to maroon in color.
Fruits: Dark purple berries that are palatable raw and can be used to cook with.
Ethnobotany: Black gooseberries are an Indigenous food of Northwest Tribes. Similar to devil’s club, the thorns on gooseberry can cause an allergic reaction for some people.
Growing Conditions:
| Sun/Shade Tolerance | Hydrology | Elevation Range |
| mostly sunny 60-80% | moist soils | low elevation |
| well drained soils | mid elevation | |
| high elevation |
Reference:
MacKinnon, A., Pojar, J., & Alaback, P. B. (1994). Plants of the Pacific Northwest coast: Washington, Oregon, British Columbia & Alaska. Richmond, Wash: Lone Pine Publishing.
