About
This vigorous, upright shrub to around 120cm in height, with thorny stems and deeply lobed pale green foliage, turning to yellow in autumn. Large, sweet, smooth-skinned pale green gooseberries ripen to dark red from June through to mid-July. A very productive variety. Self-fertile.
About the genus
Ribes can be deciduous or evergreen shrubs, sometimes spiny, with simple, usually palmately lobed leaves and small tubular or bell-shaped, solitary or racemose flowers borne in spring or summer, followed by juicy, sometimes edible berries
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun, Partial shade
Soil typeChalk, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained
AspectEast-facing, South-facing, West-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH6
Plant details
Plant typeFruit Edible, Shrubs
HabitBushy
FoliageDeciduous
Height1-1.5 metres
Spread0.5-1 metres
Time to full height2-5 years
Suggested usesCity and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden
Care notes
CultivationGrow gooseberries in a moist but well-drained soil that has been improved with organic matter. Mildly alkaline (chalky) soils are tolerated. Fruiting is best in full sun, but they will tolerate partial shade. They can be grown as goblet-shaped bushes or trained forms such as cordons. Water well as fruits swell and keep the base of the plants weed and grass-free. For advice see gooseberry cultivation
PruningPrune gooseberries in winter and summer
PropagationPropagate by hardwood cuttings in winter
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to gooseberry sawfly, birds and squirrels
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to gooseberry mildew and gooseberry leaf spot