Ribes divaricatum
Ribes divaricatum is an important wildlife and pollinator native with small white and purple flowers and dark sweet berries.
Ribes divaricatum is a thorny native from coastal BC to California. Small flowers are borne in drooping clusters of two to four with white petals, purple sepals and protruding stamens followed by dark, pea-sized, purple-black berries in clusters in summer. The fruit is sweet and juicy though a bit acidic. Thorny canes tend to be erect to arching and can reach 4-9 feet tall. First Nations used the berries as a food source and the bark and roots for medicinal purposes. A great shrub for the wild or native garden. Attracts hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, and foraging birds. It is a larval host for up to 85 different species of native butterflies and moths. Deer resistant. Photo credit Wikipedia
Common Name: Coastal Black Gooseberry
Family: Grossulariaceae (The Gooseberry Family)
Zone Hardiness: 4-9
Light: Part Sun, Part Shade
Height: 4-6'
Width: 2-3'
Primary Bloom Colour: Red
Secondary Bloom Colour: White/Cream
Bloom Time: Late Spring
Foliage Colour: Green
Class: Deciduous
Type: Shrub
Soil Moisture: Moist
Stem Colour:
Fragrance: No
Berries: Purple
Benefits: Bees, Hummingbirds, Butterflies
Deer Resistant: Yes
BC Native: Yes
Native Habitat: Forests, open woodlands, coastal scrub, moist hillsides, and wetlands from British Columbia to California.
Award:
Geographical Origin: North America, Southwest Asia and Asia Minor
