Ribes divaricatum var. parishii
Parish's gooseberry, Parish's Gooseberry
(c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Ken-ichi Ueda · licence
Family: Grossulariaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1A
Ribes divaricatum var. parishii (Parish's gooseberry) is a native California shrub in the Grossulariaceae family, recognized by pink/red petals and very long styles.
Parish's gooseberry is a rare (CNPS 1A) California native shrub found in eastern Santa Catalina Island and the San Gabriel Mountains in moist woodland at elevations of 60 to 310 meters. Flowering from March to April, this plant produces pink or red flowers with petals 2 to 3 millimeters long nestled in hypanthiums 3 to 4 millimeters wide. Growing to less than 3 meters tall with spreading branches, it forms a distinctive woodland understory shrub. Its leaves are characteristic of gooseberry species, likely with lobed or divided structure typical of Ribes genus. The fruit is a classic gooseberry, though specific details are not provided in the source description.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 12 sympatric species; key features are pink/red petals and very long styles
Habitat and range
Habitat: Moist woodland
Elevation: 60-310 m
Bloom period
Ribes divaricatum var. parishii blooms Mar-Apr.
Conservation status
CNPS 1A
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 var. parishii native to California?
Yes. Ribes divaricatum var. parishii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Ribes divaricatum var. parishii bloom?
Ribes divaricatum var. parishii blooms Mar-Apr.
What plant family does Ribes divaricatum var. parishii belong to?
Ribes divaricatum var. parishii is in the Grossulariaceae family, genus Ribes.
Is Ribes divaricatum var. parishii rare or endangered?
Ribes divaricatum var. parishii carries California Rare Plant Rank 1A, state rank SX.
What habitat does Ribes divaricatum var. parishii grow in?
Ribes divaricatum var. parishii grows in Moist woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.