Ribes hirtellum is a species of gooseberry commonly known as wild gooseberry or swamp gooseberry.It is native to Canada and the northern United States. Cultivated gooseberries are derived from this species and from Ribes uva-crispa.
Ribes hirtellum is known by several other names, including American gooseberry,hairy-stem gooseberry, hairy gooseberry, low wild gooseberry northern gooseberry, smooth gooseberry, and wedge-leaf gooseberry.
Habitat-terrestrialwetlands.New England state-ConnecticutMaineMassachusettsNew HampshireRhode IslandVermont.Growth form-the plant is a shrub (i.e., a woody plant with several stems growing from the base).Leaf type-the leaf blade is simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets).Leaves per node-there is one leaf per node along the stem.Leaf blade edges-the edge of the leaf blade has lobes, or it has both teeth and lobes.Leaf duration-the leaves drop off in winter (or they wither but persist on the plant).armature on plant-the plant has spines, prickles, or thorns.Leaf blade length-10–25 mm.Leaf blade width-15–30 mm.Leaf stalk-the leaves have leaf stalks.Fruit type (general)-the fruit is fleshy.Bark texture-the bark of an adult plant is thin and smooth,the bark of an adult plant peels off easily or hangs off.Twig winter color-brown,gray.Bud scale number-there are three or more scales on the winter bud, and they overlap like shingles, with one edge covered and the other edge exposed.
