About Ribes missouriense Nutt. ex Torr. & A.Gray
Ribes missouriense, commonly called Missouri gooseberry, Missouri currant, or wild gooseberry, is a prickly, many-stemmed shrub. It is native to the north-central United States, specifically the Great Lakes region, upper Mississippi Valley, and lower Missouri Valley. Scattered populations have been found further east, and most of these are likely escapees from cultivation. Missouri gooseberry was once common as far east as Ohio, but was nearly extirpated from the state during the 19th and 20th centuries. Part of this decline came from early 20th-century efforts to stop the spread of white pine blister rust, which involved removing as many Ribes host plants as possible. Since 1982, Missouri gooseberry has held protected endangered species status in Ohio. It is also classified as endangered in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
