Prickly Gooseberry
Ribes cynosbati
Found in moist slopes, periglacial boulderfields, talus, grassy balds, especially at medium to high elevations. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you
77
Strong
Native to Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?
Profile 100%
- Height
- 2–4 feet
- Light
- Partial shade, Full shade, Full sun
- Soil moisture
- Dry to moist
At a glance
- Life cycle
- Woody perennial
- Leaves
- Deciduous
- Bloom
- April to June
- Fruiting season
- July to September
JFMAMJJASOND
Not yet recorded · Spread
Recorded in 27 Virginia counties.
Natural habitats
Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.
1 of 3
Cliffs, ledges and rocky summits
Also found with this plant
Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 108 animals.
- Canada WarblerWilsonia canadensis
- Carolina WrenThryothorus ludovicianus
- Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorum
- Cerulean WarblerDendroica cerulea
- Chestnut-sided WarblerDendroica pensylvanica
- Chimney SwiftChaetura pelagica
- Chipping SparrowSpizella passerina
- Chuck-will's-widowCaprimulgus carolinensis
- Common GrackleQuiscalus quiscula
- Common NighthawkChordeiles minor
- Common RavenCorvus corax
- Common YellowthroatGeothlypis trichas
- Dark-eyed JuncoJunco hyemalis
- Downy WoodpeckerPicoides pubescens
- Eastern KingbirdTyrannus tyrannus
- Eastern TowheePipilo erythrophthalmus
- Eastern Wood-peweeContopus virens
- Golden-crowned KingletRegulus satrapa
- Golden-winged WarblerVermivora chrysoptera
- Gray CatbirdDumetella carolinensis
- Great Crested FlycatcherMyiarchus crinitus
- Great Horned OwlBubo virginianus
- Hairy WoodpeckerPicoides villosus
- Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatus
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Ecological relationships
Who uses this plant?
81CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including VA
Genus host records with ranges including VA · Ribes
- Achatia distinctaDistinct Quaker
- Acronicta impressaImpressive Dagger, Printed Dagger
- Alcathoe caudataClematis Borer, Clematis Clearwing Moth
- Amphipyra pyramidoidesMiranda Underwing, Copper Underwing, Copper Amphipyra
- Antheraea polyphemusPolyphemus Moth
- Apamea amputatrixYellow-Headed Cutworm Moth
- Archips argyrospilaFruit-Tree Leafroller Moth
- Archips purpuranaOmnivorous Leafroller Moth
- Automeris ioIo Moth
- Biston betulariaSalt-and-Pepper Geometer, Cleft-Headed Looper
Show all 81
- Campaea perlataPale Beauty, Fringed Looper
- Carposina fernaldanaCurrant Fruitworm Moth
- Cepphis armatariaScallop Moth
- Chloridea virescensTobacco Budworm Moth
- Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
- Clepsis persicanaWhite Triangle Tortrix
- Crocigrapha normaniNorman's Quaker
- Dichorda iridariaShowy Emerald
- Dysstroma citrataDark Marbled Carpet
- Dysstroma hersiliataOrange-Barred Carpet
- Dysstroma truncataMarbled Carpet
- Ectropis crepusculariaThe Small Engrailed, Saddleback Looper
- Erannis tiliariaLinden Looper Moth, Western Winter Moth, Lime Looper
- Eulithis propulsataCurrant Eulithis
- Eupithecia miserulataCommon Eupithacia, Common Pug
- Eupsilia tristigmataThree-Spotted Sallow, Brown Fruitworm
- Eutrapela clematariaCurved-Tooth Geometer, Purplish Brown Looper
- Euxoa messoriaReaper Dart, Darksided Cutworm, Dark-Sided Cutworm
- Hesperumia sulphurariaSulphur Moth
- Hyalophora cecropiaCecropia Silkmoth, Cecropia Moth
- Hyles lineataWhite-Lined Sphinx
- Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
- Hyppa xylinoidesCommon Hyppa
- Iridopsis ephyrariaPale-Winged Gray
- Iridopsis humariaSmall Purplish Gray
- Iridopsis larvariaBent-Line Gray
- Lambdina fiscellariaHemlock Looper, Western Oak Looper
- Limenitis arthemisBanded Purple, Red-Spotted Admiral
- Lithacodes fasciolaYellow-Shouldered Slug
- Lithophane baileyiBailey's Pinion
- Lithophane tepidaWarm Gray Pinion, White-Eyes Pinion
- Lophocampa maculataSpotted Tussock Moth, Yellow-Spotted Tiger Moth
- Macaria evagariaDrab Angle
- Macaria subcessariaBarred Angle, Barred Granite
- Malacosoma americanaEastern Tent Caterpillar
- Melanchra adjunctaHitched Arches
- Melanchra pictaPainted Arches, Zebra Caterpillar Moth
- Nematocampa resistariaFilament Bearer, Horned Spanworm Moth
- Nymphalis milbertiMilbert's Tortoise Shell, Fire-Rim Tortoise Shell
- Olethreutes appendiceumServiceberry Leafroller
- Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
- Orthosia hibisciSpeckled Green Fruitworm Moth, Speckled Green Quaker
- Orthosia rubescensRuby Quaker
- Orthotaenia undulanaDusky Leafroller
- Papaipema cataphractaBurdock Border, Potato-Stalk Borer
- Papaipema nebrisStalk Borer
- Platynota stultanaOmnivorous Leafroller
- Platypolia ancepsGray-Dusted Sallow
- Polia nimbosaStormy Arches
- Polygonia progneGray Comma
- Prochoerodes lineolaLarge Maple Spanworm Moth
- Protoboarmia porcelariaPorcelain Gray, Dashedlined Looper
- Pseudopostega quadristrigellaGooseberry Barkminer
- Pyrrharctia isabellaIsabella Tiger Moth, Banded Woolybear
- Selenia alcipheariaNorthern Selenia, Northern Thorn
- Sicya maculariaSharp-Lined Yellow
- Sideridis roseaThe Rosewing
- Spaelotis clandestinaClandestine Dart, W-Marked Cutworm
- Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
- Spiramater lutraDarling Mamestra, Splashed Arches, Otter Spiramater, Otter Arches
- Synchlora aerataWavy-Lined Emerald, Camouflaged Looper
- Xanthotype sospetaCrocus Geometer
- Xanthotype urticariaFalse Crocus Geometer
- Xestia c-nigrumSpotted Cut-Worm, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Lesser Black-letter Dart
- Xestia dolosaGreater Black-Letter Dart, Greater Spotted Cutworm
- Xylena nuperaRed Swordgrass Moth, American Swordgrass Moth, False Armyworm
- Zophodia grossulariellaGooseberry Fruitworm Moth
- Acleris maccana
- Carposina ottawana
- Herpetogramma aquilonalis
- Opostegoides scioterma
11BeesSoutheastern regional records
Southeastern regional records · Ribes
Individual names are not available yet.
Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
0Specialist beesPollen specialists
12BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim
Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Ribes
- Alectoris chukarChukar
- Aphelocoma californicaCalifornia Scrub-Jay
- Catharus guttatusHermit Thrush
- Dendragapus obscurusDusky Grouse
- Pinicola enucleatorPine Grosbeak
- Sialia currucoidesMountain Bluebird
- Sialia sialisEastern Bluebird
- Turdus migratoriusAmerican Robin
- Tympanuchus phasianellusSharp-tailed Grouse
- Tyrannus tyrannusEastern Kingbird
Show all 12
- Vireo griseusWhite-eyed Vireo
- Vireo olivaceusRed-eyed Vireo
Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening
No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects
Growing and identification
Plant details
- Family
- Grossulariaceae
- Soil pH
- Acidic
- Flower color
- White, yellow, green or brown
- Fruit begins
- July
- Fruit ends
- September
Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.
Growing sources and scope
- Bloom · “April to June” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
- Flower color · “White, yellow, green or brown” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
- Fruit begins · “July” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
- Fruit ends · “September” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
- Height · “2–4 feet” · Minnesota Wildflowers
- Leaves · “Deciduous” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
- Life cycle · “Woody perennial” · Minnesota Wildflowers
- Light · “Partial shade; Full shade; Full sun (documented habitat)” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
- Soil · “Dry; Moist (documented habitat)” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
- Soil pH · “Acidic” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Also known as
Dogberry; Eastern Prickly Gooseberry
Conservation status
| Virginia rank | S5 |
|---|---|
| Global rank | G5 |
| VA status | Not verified |
| Federal status | Not verified |
In your garden
Will it fit your yard?
Check this plant against your county, sun and soil moisture. Conditions are checked in your browser.
Choose a county to begin.
Sources
- Digital Atlas of the Virginia Flora
- USDA PLANTS
- Vascular Plants of North Carolina (NC Natural Heritage Program)
- Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition
- NatureServe Explorer
- Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
- Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
- Smith, Bachelder, Russell, Morales, Mosher & Seltmann 2024, Bee-Specialization-Modeling v0.6.1 (specialist host table compiled from J. Fowler's pollen specialist bee lists), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
- Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)
- Narango, Tallamy & Shropshire 2020, Few keystone plant genera support the majority of Lepidoptera species, Nature Communications