About
Ribes echinellum, the Miccosukee gooseberry, is a very rare spiny shrub of the southeastern United States known from only a handful of populations in Florida and South Carolina.
Care at a glance
- Pet safety
- Not recorded. We have no source on whether this plant is safe for cats, dogs or other pets — that is not the same as safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked.
- People
- Not recorded.
- Light
- Most abundant in the shade of deciduous trees.
- Soil
- Moist but well-drained soil, pH about 6.7–7.4.
- Mature size
- Up to 1.5 m (5 ft) tall.
Field notes
Morphology
A shrub up to 1.5 m tall with spines at the nodes, round or egg-shaped three-lobed leaves, whitish or pale yellow flowers and purple berries covered in spines.
Distribution & habitat
Southeastern United States: Florida (Lake Miccosukee) and South Carolina.
Cultivation notes
Grown in a few places outside its native range, as far south as Hudson, Florida, but does not reproduce there. Thrives in the shade of deciduous trees on moist, well-drained soils of pH 6.7–7.4.
History & etymology
First found in 1924 at Lake Miccosukee, Florida; South Carolina populations were discovered in 1957 and 1981.
Conservation
Only a few populations are known; one South Carolina site is protected in Steven's Creek Heritage Preserve.
Habitat
- Altitude
- Not recorded
- Altitude class
- —
- Native to
- United States
Cultivation
- Difficulty
- Not recorded
Text adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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