Template:Italic title This article discussed cultivation, uses and preservation of Ribes divaricatum.
Taxonomy
Family: Grossulariaceae
Genus: Ribes
Species: R. divaricatum
Varieties
3 recognized:
- R. d. var. divaricatum
- R. d. var. parishii
- R. d. var. pubiflorum
Common names
- Spreading-branched gooseberry (Royal Horticultural Society accepted name).[1]
- Spreading gooseberry.[2]
- Worcesterberry.[1]
- North American Worcesterberry.[2]
- Coast(al) Black Gooseberry.[2]
- Parish's gooseberry.[2]
- Straggly gooseberry.[2]
- Coast Gooseberry.[3]
- Wild Black Gooseberry.[3]
- Wild Gooseberry.[4]
- Oregon Stachelbeere.[3]
Etymology
From Latin divarico meaning "spread out"
Range
It is native to western North America, from British Columbia to California.[4]
History
Some Native American groups of the Pacific Northwest foraged the berries.[4] The bark and other parts had medicinal uses.
Morphology
Mature height approximately 1.7 - 3.4 m tall with a maximum spread of 1 - 1.5m.[4][5] Deciduous, multi-stemmed shrub.[5] The woody branches have 1 - 3 woody thorns at each leaf node.[4]
From the leaf nodes, Leaves are borne on petioles and are palmate and edged with teeth, and are up to 6cm long.[4]
The flowers take the form of small, hanging flower clusters. THey are greenish - purple.[5]
Behaviour
Growth habit is of a shrub. It is perennial and deciduous, becoming dormant in winter.
Reproduction
Self-fertile (one plant will fruit by itself).[5]
Hardiness
USDA Hardiness Zone 4.[5]
Soil Type
Tolerates most soil types.[5]
Soil pH
Shade Preference
Shade Tolerance
Aspect
Exposure
Propagation
Hardwood cuttings (i.e. from fully matured stems) can be taken in late autumn (during dormancy).[5]
The shrub can send out suckers, which can be propagated by carefully digging out the root and cutting it from the main plant.
Maintenance
Watering
Low water requirements.
Pruning
Problems
Harvest
Berries start green and turn black when ripe.
Preservation
Uses
- Fruit - fruits are edible by humans
- Hedging - large thorns can make this plant suitable in hedges to deter animals.[5]
- Bee plant - attracts bees and other insect pollinators.[5]
- Cultivation of crosses and hybrids - e.g. R. divaricatum was used in the creation of the "Jostaberry" plant.W
- Graft stock for gooseberries and currants.[3]
Nutritional Values
Cooking
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Ribes divaricatum (Royal Horticultural Society.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Ribes divaricatum (Plants For A Future).
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Wiersema, JH; León, B (2016). World Economic Plants: A Standard Reference. CRC Books. ISBN 9781466576810.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Spreading Gooseberry (Calscape).
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 Crawford, M (2016). Creating a Forest Garden: working with nature to grow edible crops. Green Books. ISBN 9781900322621.