Ribes speciosum

Common Name:
Fuchsia-flowered gooseberry
Plant Type:
Deciduous shrub
Family:
Grossulariaceae (The Gooseberry Family)
Geographic Origin:
California
California Native?:
Yes
Plant Size:
5-10 feet high and wide
Landscape/Garden Uses:
Mixed plantings
Flowering Season:
Winter and spring
Flower Color:
Red
Exposure:
Sun or light shade
Soils:
Well-drained soil
Suggested Irrigation:
Moderate to little watering
Estimated Hardiness:
Hardy to 10 degrees F. or less
This wickedly spiny shrub has arching stems reaching 4-6 feet tall. The small leaves are roundish and lobed, dark green and shiny on the upper surface. They disappear in summer unless the plant is well-watered, returning in late fall and winter. In late winter and early spring small clusters of pendant tubular, crimson or scarlet to pink blossoms are displayed all along the past year's stems. This shrub is an ideal candidate for dry shade.