Ribes inerme var. inerme
White stemmed gooseberry
(c) Tim Messick, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Tim Messick · licence
Family: Grossulariaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Ribes inerme var. inerme (White stemmed gooseberry) is a native California shrub in the Grossulariaceae family, recognized by white/gray branch tips and hairless flowers.
White stemmed gooseberry is a California native shrub found in the Klamath Ranges, Cascade Range highlands, Sierra Nevada, Warner Mountains, and eastern Sierra Nevada in forest, streamsides, and meadow edges at elevations of 1,200 to 3,300 meters. Flowering from May to June, this plant produces white to pale green flowers with minimal visible hair on the sepals. Growing as a compact shrub 50 to 100 centimeters tall with spreading branches, it forms dense clusters in mountain landscapes. Its leaves are softly textured with sparse, short hairs, typically rounded with shallow lobes. The fruit is a smooth, pale green to whitish gooseberry typical of mountain woodland environments.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 21 sympatric species; key features are white/gray branch tips and hairless flowers
Habitat and range
Habitat: Forest, streamsides, meadow edges
Elevation: 1200-3300 m
Outside California: to British Columbia, Rocky Mountains
Bloom period
Ribes inerme var. inerme blooms May-Jun.
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 inerme var. inerme native to California?
Yes. Ribes inerme var. inerme is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Ribes inerme var. inerme bloom?
Ribes inerme var. inerme blooms May-Jun.
What plant family does Ribes inerme var. inerme belong to?
Ribes inerme var. inerme is in the Grossulariaceae family, genus Ribes.
What habitat does Ribes inerme var. inerme grow in?
Ribes inerme var. inerme grows in Forest, streamsides, meadow edges.
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.