Description

Full sun to full shade, attracts birds, deer and rabbit resistant, drought resistant, zone 3

Ribes lacustre

Pot size #2

Black Gooseberry is low-maintenance, easy-to-grow perennial – a great plant for the sustainable garden.

Black Gooseberry’s finest ornamental quality is its fuschia-like, purple and white flowers which hang like delicate lanterns from its arching stems (it has been used in European ornamental breeding programs). The leaves have a pleasant shape as well, like that of a small maple leaf.

Its stems, however, (especially young ones) bear many small bristles and thorns. While this can make the plant more challenging to work with, it does give itself perfectly to a “wild” garden aesthetic. Gooseberries generally have a unique, pungent tart-sweet flavor when eaten fresh (which some people love).  They are excellent when made into jams, pies, smoothies, or other berry confections.