Northern Gooseberry vs Cloudberry - TreeTime.ca

Northern Gooseberry vs Cloudberry

Ribes oxyacanthoides

Rubus chamaemorus

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: later this season)

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

Northern Gooseberry
Cloudberry

Northern Gooseberry is a small, ornamental quality native shrub with prickly stems. You can plant it anywhere you'd plant Prickly Rose or Common Wild Rose, such as your yard.

Most people find Northern Gooseberry berries a bit tart for significant fresh eating but they are good for baking, wine or jam.

Cloudberry produces berries which taste tart and tangy with a sweet, floral hint. The berries have a creamy texture when overripe. They are often used to make jams, juices, and liquors. The berries are a pale red colour and when ripe turn more orange/amber. They do not grow very tall, generally reaching only 10-25 cm.

Cloudberry has distinct male and female plants. In order to produce berries, both must be present and pollinate with each other. Berries are produced at maturity, typically 5-7 years, and produce 1 berry per stem. The plant spreads naturally as they grow using modified underground stems (rhizomes), forming more plants over time in the same area.

This plant can be found wild in Canada’s boreal forest. In Newfoundland and Labrador, this plant is known as the Bakeapple and is a significant regional food. Similarly the Côte-Nord region of Quebec also has a long history of using this berry.

Note: Cloudberries require very specific soil conditions. They need well-drained soil with a pH between 3.5 and 5.0. Also sensitive to salt and dry conditions.

Note: Our seedlings are grown from seed and are too young to identify their sex.

Northern Gooseberry Quick Facts

Cloudberry Quick Facts

Zone: 1a
Zone: 2a
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: normal, wet
Light: any
Light: full sun
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no
Fall colour: orange, yellow
Berries: purple or purplish black
Berries: irregular, yellow to orange
Harvest: September to October.
Flowers: white
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: short
Suckering: none
Suckering: none




Other Names: canada gooseberry, canadian gooseberry
Other Names: baked apple berry, cloud berry