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Taxon  Report  
Ribes californicum  Hook. & Arn.
California gooseberry,   Hillside gooseberry
Ribes californicum is a shrub that is native to California, and endemic (limited) to California.
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Bloom Period
Subspecies and Varieties:
Genus: Ribes
Family: Grossulariaceae  
Category: angiosperm  
PLANTS group:Dicot
Jepson eFlora section: eudicot

Communities: Redwood Forest, Mixed Evergreen Forest, Foothill Woodland, Chaparral
Name Status:
Accepted by JEF + PLANTS

Alternate Names:
CalfloraRibes californica
Information about  Ribes californicum from other sources
Nursery availability from CNPLX
This plant is available commercially.
Jepson eFlora

USDA PLANTS Profile (RICA)

Photos on Calflora

Photos on CalPhotos

Google Images

Photos on iNaturalist

ID Tips on PlantID.net

[Wikipedia] Range, Description, Varieties: Ribes californicum, with the common name hillside gooseberry,[3] is a North American species of currant. It is endemic to California, where it can be found throughout many of the California Coast, Transverse, and Peninsular Ranges in local habitat types such as chaparral and woodlands.[4] Description Ribes californicum is a mostly erect shrub growing to a maximum height around 1.4 metres (4.6 ft). Nodes along the stem each bear three spines up to 1.5 centimetres (0.59 in) in length. The hairy to hairless leaves are 1?3 centimetres (0.39?1.18 in) long and divided into 3?5 centimetres (1.2?2.0 in) oblong, toothed lobes.[5] The inflorescence is a solitary flower or raceme of up to three flowers which hang pendent from the branches. The flower has five sepals in shades of deep red or green with a red tinge, which are reflexed upward. At the center is a tubular corolla of white or pinkish petals around five stamens and two longer styles.[5] The fruit is an edible red berry about a centimeter wide which is covered in stiff spines.[5] Varieties Ribes californicum var. californicum - mostly Coast Ranges from Ventura County to Mendocino County, with additional populations in Orange County Ribes californicum var. hesperium - primarily San Gabriel Mountains in Southern California (contributed by Mary Ann Machi)


Suggested Citation
Calflora: Information on California plants for education, research and conservation, with data contributed by public and private institutions and individuals. [web application]. 2024. Berkeley, California: The Calflora Database [a non-profit organization]. Available: https://www.calflora.org/   (Accessed: 04/27/2024).