# Missouri Gooseberry (*Ribes missouriense*) The Missouri Gooseberry is a small shrub with spiky branches and tasty berries. These berries are often used to make jams and jellies, and the plant is a great home for birds and other wildlife. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Missouri Gooseberry](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Ribes_missouriense_Hobbs.jpg&width=800) Photo: Eric in SF, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ribes_missouriense_Hobbs.jpg) ## Appearance The Missouri Gooseberry is a thorny shrub with pale green, maple-like leaves, divided into 3-5 lobes. Its small, bell-shaped flowers are greenish-white to yellowish. Edible berries ripen from green to a purplish-red. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Saxifragales - **Family:** Grossulariaceae - **Genus:** Ribes ## Interesting facts - Early spring flowers provide vital nectar for the very first awakening bees. - Gooseberry shrubs can live for several decades, growing slowly year after year. - Its tart berries become even tastier and sweeter after the first frost! - Many small mammals and birds rely on its thorny branches for safe shelter! ## Special abilities - **Thorny Shield:** Missouri Gooseberry has sharp thorns that help it defend its yummy berries and tender leaves from hungry plant-eaters. - **Berry Beacon:** Missouri Gooseberry produces tart, colorful berries that attract animals, which then help spread its seeds to new places. - **Sunlight Seeker:** Missouri Gooseberry can thrive in both sunny spots and partially shaded areas, adapting to different light conditions. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 100-200 cm - **Spread:** 100-200 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm - **Bloom Season:** Early Spring (April-May) - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar and pollen from its flowers - **Pollinates:** Common eastern bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — an important early spring pollinator for the plant - **Eaten by:** [American Robin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-robin) (*Turdus migratorius*) — feasts on its ripe, purplish-red berries in summer - **Eaten by:** American Black Bear (*Ursus americanus*) — browses on its berries and sometimes foliage - **Eats:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — may browse on its leaves and twigs ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Spiky/Thorny](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spiky-thorny): Possessing sharp, pointed projections or spines on the body or surface. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Be careful of the thorns when exploring near this plant! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Missouri Gooseberry? Compare how the fruit is clustered, the leaves and their arrangement, the stems and any thorns. Red, blue and black fruits grow on lots of unrelated plants, and the same color can show up on both edible and poisonous species. Berry Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Missouri Gooseberry? 100-200 cm ### How wide does Missouri Gooseberry spread? 100-200 cm ### How big are the flowers on Missouri Gooseberry? 0.5-1 cm ### When does Missouri Gooseberry bloom? Early Spring (April-May) ### Is Missouri Gooseberry edible? Yes ### Is Missouri Gooseberry toxic? None ### What is Missouri Gooseberry's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Palisades State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/palisades-state-park) — South Dakota, US · State Park - [Niabi Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/niabi-zoo) — Illinois, US · Zoo - [Waubay National Wildlife Refuge](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/waubay-national-wildlife-refuge) — South Dakota, US · Nature Reserve [View all places to see Missouri Gooseberry](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/missouri-gooseberry) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Missouri Gooseberry: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/missouri-gooseberry)