Gooseberry Invicta - Ribes uva-crispa

The Invicta Gooseberry Bush is a highly productive, vigorous variety that is particularly resistant to powdery mildew. The round fruits with slightly hairy green-yellow skin contain a translucent yellowish flesh that is pleasantly fragrant, with a sweet and tangy flavour. The fruit forms along the relatively thorny branches, ensuring a plentiful harvest. The fruits are perfect for making jellies or jams, delicious when eaten fresh, and their flavour works wonders in pastries and as an accompaniment to fish or savoury dishes. The gooseberry bush thrives in non-calcareous, moderately moist soil.

In the Currants category, the Gooseberry (Ribes grossularia var. uva-crispa), also known as the Prickly Gooseberry, Curly Grape, Louse-Clapper, Crunch-Louse, Balloon, or Vineyard, belongs to the Grossulariaceae family, along with Redcurrants (Ribes rubrum) and Blackcurrants (Ribes nigrum). The name "Gooseberry" comes from the English, who have used this fruit for a long time to make a sweet and sour sauce to accompany mackerel. 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 spontaneously in montane forests in Scotland, France, and the Caucasus.

This is a bushy, spiny shrub with a clump-like habit, characterised by slightly stiff, branching, and spreading stems. This very hardy bush reaches a height of 1m (3ft) with a spread of 75cm (30in). The foliage is deciduous, composed of palmate, lobed, and aromatic medium-green leaves. This shrub resembles classic currants, but is mainly distinguished by its fruits: larger, with a sweet flavour, they appear singly along the branches, unlike clustered currants. Except for a few thornless varieties, the Gooseberry has prickly stems.

Flowering occurs in spring, in the form of clusters of inconspicuous greenish flowers, intensely visited by bees. In July, fruiting occurs mainly on one- and two-year-old branches. The bush is then covered with translucent, round to oval berries, 1.5cm (1in) in diameter, distributed along the branches, resembling marbles and containing small seeds. Harvesting, which takes place as the fruits ripen, is made easier by the size of the berries. The Invicta Gooseberry Bush produces fruit with slightly hairy green-yellow skin and translucent yellowish flesh that is pleasantly fragrant and has a sweet and tangy flavour. Self-fertile and vigorous, a Gooseberry Bush yields approximately 3 to 5 kg of fruit per plant depending on the age and growing conditions of the plant. The fruits are rich in vitamin C, antioxidants, minerals, trace elements, as well as potassium, calcium, and phosphorus. Moreover, their low sugar content classifies them as low-energy berries (50 kcal per 100g). The fruit is purifying for the body thanks to its diuretic, digestive, liver decongestant, and laxative properties, provided it is consumed when barely ripe. It is best to cultivate Gooseberries in sunny but not scorching locations, in moist, well-drained soil. Planting is done from October to March for a harvest around July. This variety is particularly resistant to powdery mildew.

Like colourful marbles, the fruits of the Invicta Gooseberry Bush are a real treat in the summer, with their translucent pink flesh, firm texture, pleasant fragrance, and sweet and tangy flavour. Picked straight from the bush, they are exquisite when eaten fresh, and for an extra treat, they can be sprinkled with a little granulated sugar. In cooking, to attenuate the acidity of the fruits, they can be blanched for one minute and then refreshed under cold water. Excellent in jellies or jams, they can also be used to garnish pies and make cakes. Additionally, they are perfect for making syrups, sorbets, ice creams, or desserts. The delicate balance between the aromas and acidity of the fruits offers an interesting use for accompanying meats (game, poultry, etc.), fatty fish (sardines, mackerel, tuna, etc.), or as a little touch in mixed salads.

In summer, the Gooseberry Bush provides the satisfaction of bountiful harvests and the pleasure of enjoying delicious fruits, but be careful of the thorns. In the garden, it can be planted alongside other Gooseberries, Raspberry bushes, or other varieties of berries to form a delicious hedge.