Edible plant - novice Season - present all year. Fruits: summer to early autumn Common names Gooseberry, goosegogs, European gooseberry
Scientific name meaning: Ribes is Arabic in origin and means "having sour sap". Uva is the Latin word for a grape, while Crispa means wrinkled or curled
Habitat  Found growing in woodland and hedgerows, as well as the banks of rivers and streams. Its seeds are distributed by birds so it is found underneath where birds are likely to roost. |
Leaves  The leaves are deeply palmately lobed with a deep and bluntly toothed edge. They are around 5-6cm in width and height. |
Stem  The red brown stems are usually around 5mm in diameter. Below the leaf nodes 1 to 3 prickles up to 2cm long emerge from the stem. |
Flowers  The white bell-shaped flowers appear individual or in pairs. They have five pink sepals that curve backwards (reflex) away from the petals. They appear in springtime. |
Fruit  The spherical berries appear from summer. They are 0.5 to 1cm in diameter and start off green, ripening to red-purple. The are very hairy and the remains of the flower stays on them until maturity. |
Possible lookalikes  Other currants, like redcurrant (Ribes rubrum), pictured, could be mistaken for gooseberry though their fruits are also edible. Other currants lack prickles. This is a good way of telling them apart when no flowers or fruits are present. Cultivation escapee gooseberries can be found, too. Young maple saplings look similar but do not form berries or petalled flowers, or have prickles.
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Use as a food The berries can be used to make jams, jellies, cordials, wine, syrup, fruit leather, and chutneys. They can be sharp so usually require sugar to sweeten Use in herbal medicine and medicine Has been used to treat constipation, rheumatism and scurvy
If you are suffering from any ailment or need medical advice, please see your General Practitioner.
Hazards None known at time of writing
Other uses The berries are used in facemasks to reduce greasiness Importance to other species Provides an important food source for pollinators, birds and mammals
Always stay safe when foraging. You need to be 100% sure of your identification, 100% sure that your foraged item is edible, and 100% sure that you are not allergic to it (it is good practice to always try a small amount of any new food you are consuming). If in doubt, leave it out!
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