Gooseberry
Gooseberry is a fruit in the Grossulariaceae family. It grows best in full sun to part shade with medium moisture, and is listed for USDA zones 3-8.
Varieties
1 · sorted by days to maturity▸Gooseberry
PROPAGATION CATEGORY: Berry shrub (cuttings) (not currently in seed catalog). Use: Fresh, pies, jam. Note: Self-fertile, cold-hardy, often thorny. Like all Ribes, may be restricted in some US states (blister rust). True gooseberry - not the unrelated Cape/ground 'gooseberry' (Physalis).
Gooseberry (Ribes uva-crispa, European; R. hirtellum, American) is a hardy, self-fertile berry shrub grown from cuttings. Tolerates part shade. Hardy zones 3-8; subject to the same Ribes planting rules as currants.
Growing notes: Botanical name: Ribes uva-crispa|Hardiness zones: 3-8|Propagation: cuttings/layering|Sun needs: Full sun to part shade|Water needs: Medium|Mature height: 3-5 feet
Plan your gooseberry planting
Add gooseberry to a free GardenDraft plan and get sow, transplant, and harvest dates computed for your ZIP code — with a drag-and-drop bed layout and reminders when it’s time to plant.
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Storing & preserving
Refrigerate ripe fruit; ripen firm fruit at room temperature.
- Freeze: Freezes well raw; spread on a tray first so pieces stay loose.
- Preserve: Make jam or water-bath can high-acid fruit.
- Dry: Dehydrate or air-dry, then store airtight away from light.
General home-preservation guidance — for tested processing times and safety, follow the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
Growing timeline
Care & troubleshooting
No curated care & troubleshooting advice for gooseberry yet. Our extension-sourced library currently focuses on common edible crops; we're expanding it over time.