About Ribes menziesii Pursh
Ribes menziesii Pursh is an aromatic deciduous shrub with very prickly branches that can grow up to 2 metres (6+1⁄2 ft) tall. Its leaves are green, somewhat rounded, hairy, glandular, and measure 1.5–4 centimetres (1⁄2–1+1⁄2 in) wide. It produces showy hanging flowers: the sepals are purplish-red and reflexed (folded backward along the length of the flower), while the petals are white, yellow, or pinkish and extend forward to form a loose tube, with stamens emerging from this tube. The fruit it bears are purple gooseberries, which are edible but consist mostly of seeds with very little actual fruit tissue. These fruits are generally considered unpalatable, and the plant's spines also make collecting the fruit difficult. This species is found only in California and Oregon. Five to six varieties of Ribes menziesii grow across low elevation mountains of California (especially the Coast Ranges), coastal canyons, and foothills, extending into southern Oregon. It occurs naturally in the chaparral plant community. Ribes menziesii is cultivated as an ornamental plant for native plant and wildlife gardens in regions with suitable climate, such as coastal California. It is valued for its attractive spring blooms.
