Ribes divaricatum
(c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Ken-ichi Ueda · licence
Family: Grossulariaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Ribes divaricatum is a native California shrub in the Grossulariaceae family, recognized by sprawling habit with reflexed purple sepals diagnostic.
spreading gooseberry is a California native shrub found in coastal and north-central California regions in woodland and chaparral habitats. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces white to pink flowers with purple sepals, small and delicate in clusters of up to five blooms. Growing with arched stems 1 to 3.5 meters tall and featuring occasional nodal spines, it develops a distinctive branching structure. Its leaves are 2 to 6 centimeters wide, coarsely toothed, generally hairy, and somewhat rounded. The fruit is a glossy black berry 6 to 10 millimeters in diameter, which ripens in late summer.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 40 sympatric species; sprawling habit with reflexed purple sepals diagnostic
Habitat and range
California counties: Sonoma, San Luis Obispo, Lake, Humboldt, Santa Barbara, Napa, Alameda, Monterey, Contra Costa, Siskiyou, San Mateo, Tulare, Santa Cruz, Nevada, Plumas, Santa Clara, Trinity, Marin, Los Angeles, Placer, Shasta
How to tell it apart
vs Rubus: Ribes has palmately lobed leaves; blackberry has compound leaves with 3-7 separate leaflets.; vs Rhus: Ribes has palmately lobed simple leaves; sumac has pinnately compound leaves with separate leaflets.; vs Quercus: Ribes has toothed maple-like lobes; oak has smooth-edged rounded lobes and acorns.; vs Acer: Ribes has drooping flower clusters; maple has upright flower clusters and winged paired fruits.; vs Holodiscus: Ribes has broad palmately lobed leaves; ocean spray has pinnately arranged leaflets on compound leaves.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ribes divaricatum native to California?
Yes. Ribes divaricatum is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Ribes divaricatum grow?
Ribes divaricatum occurs in Sonoma, San Luis Obispo, Lake, Humboldt, Santa Barbara, Napa, Alameda, Monterey and other counties.
What plant family does Ribes divaricatum belong to?
Ribes divaricatum is in the Grossulariaceae family, genus Ribes.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.