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Pasture Gooseberry

Ribes cynosbati

A small, spiny woodland shrub with lobed leaves and greenish-yellow bell flowers, followed by prickly but edible red-purple berries. Excellent for wildlife gardens, providing nesting cover and forage, though its thorns require careful placement near paths.

Family

Grossulariaceae

Type

shrub

Lifespan

perennial

Height

2–4 ft

Spacing

2–4 ft apart

Light

sun, part shade

Soil moisture

moist

Soil pH

acidic, neutral

Bloom

May, June

Bloom colors

white, yellow, green, brown

Wildlife value

songbirds, mammals, pollinators, larval host

Caterpillar hosts

~99 butterfly & moth species

Landscape uses

naturalizing, hedge or screen

Native states

AR, CT, IA, IL, IN, KY, MA, MI, MN, MO, NC, NH, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA, VT, WI, WV