Gooseberry Golden Drop - Ribes uva-crispa

Gooseberry (Ribes uva crispa) Golden Drop is a variety that produces large, slightly fuzzy, yellow fruits with a sweet and sugary flavour. The Gooseberry is a bushy shrub that is easy to grow but sensitive to drought. The berries are delicious to eat and perfect for making jams, jellies and pies, or for accompanying meats and fish. Plant from October to March for a harvest starting in early July.

Cultivated in northern Europe since the 16th century, the Gooseberry is a fertile hybrid resulting from the cross-breeding of two species native to Europe and North Africa, still found in highland forests in Scotland, France, and the Caucasus. The Gooseberry (Ribes uva crispa) belongs to the Grossulariaceae family, like the Red Currant (Ribes rubrum). This shrub resembles classic currants but is mainly distinguished by its larger and sweeter fruits which appear singly along the branches, unlike clustered currants.

The Gooseberry is a bushy shrub, branching from the base to reach a height of 1m (3ft) with a spread of 75 cm (30in). Its deciduous leaves are toothed and hairy, ranging from bright green to medium green. Except for a few thornless varieties, the Gooseberry has prickly stems. In spring, it is adorned with tiny, honey-scented, greenish-white flowers. These will transform into translucent, round to oval berries, 1.5 cm (1in) in diameter, distributed along the branches. Depending on the variety, these berries can be red, white, or yellow-green. The fruits are harvested when fully ripe and easily detached. The harvest is about 3 to 4 kg per plant.

The Gooseberry fruit is low in sugar, therefore low in calories, rich in vitamins C, A, and B, and well-supplied with minerals (calcium, iron, potassium, phosphorus). The fruit is detoxifying for the body thanks to its diuretic, digestive, liver decongestant and laxative properties, provided it is consumed when just ripe. Gooseberries can be enjoyed freshly picked or consumed in sweet dishes (pies, jams, jellies...) or savoury ones (accompanying meats, fish...). Traditionally, in Nordic countries, the juice was used in the composition of a sweet and sour sauce that accompanied mackerel dishes.

In the garden, Gooseberries can be used in a small edible hedge, mixed with other currants and raspberries, but they can also form a dense defensive hedge, thanks to their numerous thorns, which you should be careful of during harvest. It is a very hardy shrub, easy to grow but sensitive to drought.