About
Ribes menziesii, the canyon gooseberry, is a very prickly aromatic shrub of California and southern Oregon, grown in native gardens for its showy hanging spring flowers.
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.
- Mature size
- Up to 2 m (6.5 ft) tall.
Field notes
Morphology
A deciduous shrub up to 2 m with very prickly branches. Rounded, hairy, glandular leaves are 1.5–4 cm wide. Hanging flowers have reflexed purplish-red sepals and white, yellow or pinkish petals forming a loose tube. Purple gooseberries are edible but mostly seed and generally considered unpalatable.
Distribution & habitat
California and southern Oregon, in low mountains, coastal canyons and foothills, especially the Coast Ranges, within chaparral. Five to six varieties are recognised.
Cultivation notes
Grown for native-plant and wildlife gardens in suitable climates such as coastal California, valued for its spring flowers.
Habitat
- Altitude
- Not recorded
- Altitude class
- —
- Native to
- United States
Cultivation
- Difficulty
- Not recorded
Text adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Crossed R. menziesii with another species?Register the cross. If it's not documented yet you'll be the first contributor; if someone already registered it, you'll be taken there to add your photo.