Northern Gooseberry vs Northern Black Currant - TreeTime.ca

Northern Gooseberry vs Northern Black Currant

Ribes hudsonianum

Ribes oxyacanthoides

CUSTOM GROW

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Northern Black Currant
Northern Gooseberry

Northern Black Currant is a native deciduous shrub found across Canada and the northern United States. Dark purple to black berries that ripen in summer and provide food for wildlife and humans. Fragrant yellow-green flowers that attract a wide variety of pollinators.
This shrub is well adapted to moist soils and can even survive periods of flooding. It has an interesting bronze colour in fall.

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.

Northern Black Currant Quick Facts

Northern Gooseberry Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 1a
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: any
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: fast
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Growth form: upright to prostrate, thicket-forming
Spreading: seeds - low, layering - low
Suckering: none
Maintenance: medium


Flowers: small white, in clusters
Bloom time: spring to early summer
Berries: black, edible
Berries: purple or purplish black
Flavor: bitter
Harvest: mid to late summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, YT, NT
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NL, YT, NT
Other Names: hudson bay currant, stinking currant, western black currant, wild black currant
Other Names: canada gooseberry, canadian gooseberry