Riverbank Grape vs Sebastien Gooseberry - TreeTime.ca

Riverbank Grape vs Sebastien Gooseberry

Vitis riparia

Ribes uva-crispa Sebastien

ONLY AVAILABLE BY CONTRACT GROW

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

Riverbank Grape
Sebastien Gooseberry

The Riverbank Grape, also known as the Frost Grape, or Wild Grape, is a cold-hardy variety that produces fragrant white flowers in the spring and then tart, purple grapes late in the summer.

The Riverbank Grape is a vigorous grower that attracts lots of wildlife, who enjoy the fruit and flowers. This plant is native to North America, and is also highly resistant to fungal diseases, making this a great addition to your city gardens. This plant does best with a trellis.

Note: We do not ship grape vines to BC due to regulatory restrictions from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

Sebastien Gooseberry is a nearly thornless variety that produces medium-sized, red gooseberries. When the berries are fully ripe they are quite sweet and great for fresh eating. They can be stored for up to two weeks in the fridge. For baking and preserves, they are often picked when under-ripe when they are firm and tart. The general harvest period is anywhere from July to September.

Sebastien Gooseberry is a Canadian variety that was developed at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research station in Ottawa.

Gooseberries are self-pollinating but planting with another variety will increase yields.

Riverbank Grape Quick Facts

Sebastien Gooseberry Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 3a
Height: 6 m (20 ft)
Height: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Spread: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Spread: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: normal
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no
Berries: purple
Berries: reddish and medium sized
Firmness: firm
Flavor: tart
Harvest: late summer
Harvest: late July to September
Flowers: fragrant white
Bark: yellow-red to brown
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: fast
Life span: long
Life span: short
Suckering: none
Suckering: low




Toxicity: leaves are toxic to humans
Other Names: frost grape, wild grape