Ribes oxyacanthoides
| Ribes oxyacanthoides | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 2 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 5' |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Ribes oxyacanthoides (common name: american mountain gooseberry)
Propagation: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a cold frame. Stored seed requires 3 months cold stratification at between 0 and 5°c and should be sown as early in the year as possible[1][2]. Under normal storage conditions the seed can remain viable for 17 years or more. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter, planting them out in late spring of the following year.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 10 - 15cm with a heel, July/August in a frame[3][1].
Cuttings of mature wood of the current year's growth, preferably with a heel of the previous year's growth, November to February in a cold frame or sheltered bed outdoors[3][4].
Cultivation: Easily grown in a moisture retentive but well-drained loamy soil of at least moderate quality[5][4]. Plants are quite tolerant of shade though do not fruit so well in such a position[5].
Hardy to about -20°c[4].
This species is closely related to R. hirtellum and R. uva-crispi[5].
This species is free of spines and is being used in modern gooseberry breeding programmes[6]. Another report says that it has nodal thorns 1cm long[4].
Plants can harbour a stage of 'white pine blister rust', so they should not be grown in the vicinity of pine trees[7]. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[4].
Range: N. America - Alaska to Newfoundland, British Columbia, Michigan, North Dakota and Montana.
Habitat: Moist thickets and riverbanks[4]. Prairies and canyons[8].
Edibility: Fruit - raw or cooked[9]. A gooseberry with a sweet and pleasant flavour[10]. It is used in jams and pies[11][12][13][14]. The fruit can also be dried for later use[9]. The fruit is about 10mm in diameter[4].
Medicinal: A decoction of the stems, combined with the stems of wild blackcurrants (Ribes spp), has been used to treat sickness after childbirth[9].
Pollinators: Insects
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Also Known As: Grossularia oxyacanthoides. (L.)Cov.&Britt.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Dirr, Michael and Charles Heuser. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press, 1987.
- ↑ Bird, Alfred. Growing from Seed Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan, 1990.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Sheat, Wilfrid. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. St Martin, 1948.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ Roach, Frederick. Cultivated Fruits of Britain. Oxford University Press, 1985.
- ↑ Arnberger, Leslie. Flowers of the Southwest Mountains. Southwestern Monuments, 1968.
- ↑ Hitchcock, Leo. Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press, 1955.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Moerman, Daniel. Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press, 1998.
- ↑ Hedrick, Ulysses. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications, 1972.
- ↑ Simmons, Alan. Growing Unusual Fruit. David and Charles, 1972.
- ↑ Uphof, Johannes. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim, 1959.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Harris, Ben. Eat the Weeds. Pivot Health, 1973.
- ↑ Turner, Nancy. Edible Wild Fruits and Nuts of Canada. National Museum of Natural Sciences, 1978.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.