Ribes divaricatum

Common Names

Spreading Gooseberry, Coast Black Gooseberry, Straggly Gooseberry, Coastal Black Gooseberry, Black Gooseberry, Spreading-Branched Gooseberry

Summary

Ribes divaricatum, commonly spreading gooseberry or coast black gooseberry, is a deciduous shrub native to western North America from British Columbia to California. It has an upright to spreading habit reaching 3–9 ft tall and 1–3 ft wide, with arching branches bearing spines at the nodes; leaves are palmately lobed, and flowers come in white to pink or red, followed by purplish-black berries that are edible.

In cultivation, it tolerates full sun to partial shade and moist, well‑drained loam, with hardiness around USDA zones 4–8 and low to moderate water needs. Propagation can be by seed (autumn sowing with cold stratification) or by hardwood or semi-hardwood cuttings; fruits are edible raw or cooked and used in jams or pies; it can be grown as an ornamental hedge or rootstock and attracts bees and wildlife, making it a useful addition to wildlife-friendly and ornamental plantings.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

36-108 inches

Spread

36-72 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 4-8

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full Sun; tolerates Partial Shade and Full Shade.

Soil Type

Moisture-retentive but well-drained loamy soil of at least moderate quality.

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soil, ideally moisture-retentive loam

Soil pH

5.0-7.0

Mildly acidic to mildly alkaline soils

Bloom Color

White

Bloom Time

Spring

Foliage Color

Dark green

Fall Foliage Color

Gold

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Moderate

Seasons of Interest

Spring and Summer

Propagation Methods

Seeds and Cuttings

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts birds, bees and other insect pollinators, hummingbirds, and butterflies