European Gooseberry

Ribes uva-crispa

Grossulariaceae · deciduous shrub · non-native

Data Coverage 3 of 6 dimensions

Site Data

Threats

Cultivars

Phenology

GDD Thresholds

Puget Sound

Quick Facts

Height

3–5 ft

Spread

3–5 ft

Growth Rate

Moderate

Light

Part Shade to Sun

Soil

Well Drained

Water

Moderate

Hardiness

Zone Zones 3–8

Fall Color

Yellow

Origin

Europe, northwestern Africa, southwestern Asia

Stage	Typical Window	What to Look For
Bud swell BBCH 01	Feb 15–Mar 10	Buds visibly enlarging on stems
Leaf emergence BBCH 11	Mar 10–Mar 30	First leaves unfolding from buds
Beginning of flowering BBCH 61	Mar 20–Apr 15	Small bell-shaped flowers opening at leaf axils
Fruit set BBCH 71	Apr 15–May 15	Small green berries forming after petal fall
Fruit ripe BBCH 87	Jun 15–Jul 15	Berries full-sized, translucent, soft to touch
Leaf senescence BBCH 93	Oct 1–Nov 1	Leaves yellowing and beginning to drop

'Pixwell'

Selected for ease of picking; berries hang on long pedicels away from thorns. Green fruit ripens to pink. Very productive.

Observed Kent area, leaf emergence March 22 2026 at ~930 GDD₃₂.