Ribes missouriense
Missouri Gooseberry
a perennial woody deciduous member of the Ribes genus in the family Grossulariaceae.
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Grossulariaceae
- Genus
- Ribes
- Life cycle
- perennial
- Foliage
- deciduous
- Woodiness
- woody
- Height
- 2 m
- Fertility
- Insects
- Flower type
- hermaphrodite
- Pollinators
- Insects
Uses
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Fruit - raw or cooked[9]. A rich sub-acid vinous flavour that is very agreeable, the fruit is somewhat too acid to be eaten raw for most tastes but when fully ripe makes delicious tarts[5]. The fruit can be dried for later use[9]. A gooseberry, but with a smooth skin, it is about 10mm in diameter[6], though some forms can be up to 14mm in diameter[8].
- Plant part
- Fruit
Environment
- Range
- Central N. America - Illinois to Minnesota, South Dakota, Kansas and Tennessee.
- Habitat
- Dry to moist open woods, thickets and fence rows[7].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 5+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline
- Drainage
- well drained
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a cold frame. Stored seed requires 3 months cold stratification at between 0 and 5°c and should be sown as early in the year as possible[2][4]. Under normal storage conditions the seed can remain viable for 17 years or more. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter, planting them out in late spring of the following year. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 10 - 15cm with a heel, July/August in a frame[10][2]. Cuttings of mature wood of the current year's growth, preferably with a heel of the previous year's growth, November to February in a cold frame or sheltered bed outdoors[10][6].
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Easily grown in a moisture retentive but well-drained loamy soil of at least moderate quality[1][6]. Plants are quite tolerant of shade though do not fruit so well in such a position[1]. Hardy to about -20°c[6]. Plants can harbour a stage of 'white pine blister rust', so they should not be grown in the vicinity of pine trees[3]. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[6]. Widely cultivated in temperate areas for its edible fruit, there are many named varieties[5].
References
Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00
Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0942375009
Arnberger. L. P. Flowers of the Southwest Mountains. Southwestern Monuments Ass. 1968-00-00
Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan. 1990-00-00
Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
McGregor. R. L. & Barkley. T. M. Flora of the Great Plains. University Press of Kansas. 1986-00-00 ISBN 070060295x
Britton. N. L. Brown. A. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada Dover Publications. New York. 1970-00-00 ISBN 0-486-22642-5
Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9
Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00