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Plants

Ribes oxyacanthoides

American Mountain Gooseberry

a perennial woody deciduous member of the Ribes genus in the family Grossulariaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Ribes
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Height
1.5 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[10]. A gooseberry with a sweet and pleasant flavour[8]. It is used in jams and pies[11][12][13][1]. The fruit can also be dried for later use[10]. The fruit is about 10mm in diameter[9]. Leaves - raw[13][7].

Plant part
Fruit
Plant part
Leaves

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

A decoction of the stems, combined with the stems of wild blackcurrants (Ribes spp), has been used to treat sickness after childbirth[10].

Product or use
Miscellany

Environment

Range
N. America - Alaska to Newfoundland, British Columbia, Michigan, North Dakota and Montana.
Habitat
Moist thickets and riverbanks[9]. Prairies and canyons[14].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 2+
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[3][6]. 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[15][3]. 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[15][9].

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[2][9]. Plants are quite tolerant of shade though do not fruit so well in such a position[2]. Hardy to about -20°c[9]. This species is closely related to R. hirtellum and R. uva-crispi[2]. This species is free of spines and is being used in modern gooseberry breeding programmes[4]. Another report says that it has nodal thorns 1cm long[9]. Plants can harbour a stage of 'white pine blister rust', so they should not be grown in the vicinity of pine trees[5]. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[9].

References

  1. Turner. N. J. and Szczawinski. A. Edible Wild Fruits and Nuts of Canada. National Museum of Natural Sciences 1978-00-00

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  2. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  3. Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0942375009

    ↩1↩2

  4. Roach. F. A. Cultivated Fruits of Britain. Oxford University Press 1985-00-00

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  5. Arnberger. L. P. Flowers of the Southwest Mountains. Southwestern Monuments Ass. 1968-00-00

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  6. Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan. 1990-00-00

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  7. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

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  8. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

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  9. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7

  10. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩1↩2↩3

  11. Simmons. A. E. Growing Unusual Fruit. David and Charles 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-7153-5531-7

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  12. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

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  13. Harris. B. C. Eat the Weeds. Pivot Health 1973-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  14. Hitchcock. C. L. Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press 1955-00-00

    ↩

  15. Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00

    ↩1↩2

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