Types Of Gooseberries

European

• European gooseberries, which belong to the species Ribes grossularia, are native to the Caucasus Mountains and Northern Africa. Members of this species tend to have larger, sweeter, more flavorful fruits than their American counterparts and are preferred for use in desserts, ice cream and cakes. The European gooseberry is the original, from which all other cultivars, including the American varieties, derive.

American

• The American species of gooseberry is Ribes hirtellum. It is generally a smaller fruit, having originally adapted to harsher growing conditions than its European cousin, with a sharper flavor, making it more suited to jam and preserves where it is cooked for a long time to mellow the tanginess. It is native to northeastern and north central United States and adjacent parts of Canada.

European Varieties

• Some of the better-known European gooseberry varieties cultivated across the world, including America, are Clark, the most productive species, with large red fruits, and Fredonia, which ripens earlier in the season than many other types. Early Sulphur, a pear-shaped fruit from Great Britain, and Hinnomakis Yellow, a Finnish fruit with smooth, yellow skin and excellent flavor, are also common.

American Varieties

• Common cultivated varieties of American gooseberry include the Pixwell, whose fruit ripens to a soft pink color, and the Welcome, which has a dark red fruit with a sweeter taste than the Pixwell. The Glendale variety is suited to hotter climates, producing small purple berries on a tall fountain-shaped shrub, while the Oregon Champion is one of the most common cultivars, producing a prolific number of small yellowish-green fruits with a mellow flavor.

Growing

• All varieties of gooseberry benefit from the same methods of cultivation. They require a lot of sun, although some afternoon shade is preferred in hotter climates, watering throughout the year and a well-composted or fertilized soil that is high in potassium and reasonably replete with nitrogen. Plant in the autumn. Gooseberries flush with fruit once a year, in the spring or summer. Prune in the winter to maintain a balanced shrub and to allow for easier picking when spring comes around.