Ribes lobbii
Gummy gooseberry
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Family: Grossulariaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Ribes lobbii (Gummy gooseberry) is a native California shrub in the Grossulariaceae family, recognized by extremely sticky-glandular throughout diagnostic.
Gummy gooseberry is a California native shrub found in the Klamath Ranges and northern Coast Ranges in montane and subalpine forests at elevations of 665 to 2,130 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces white to pink-tinged flowers with red sepals and white or pink filaments, arranged in small clusters of 1 to 3 blooms. Growing as a compact shrub less than 2 meters tall with three distinctive nodal spines, it has a distinctive branching structure. Its leaves are 2 to 3 centimeters wide, nearly smooth on the upper surface and glandular-hairy underneath. The fruit is a red, oblong berry 10 to 15 millimeters long, covered in dense glandular bristles.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 24 sympatric species; extremely sticky-glandular throughout diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Montane, subalpine forests
Elevation: 665-2130 m
California counties: Trinity, Tehama, Humboldt, Siskiyou, Lake, Mendocino, Shasta, Glenn, Tuolumne, Colusa, Del Norte
Outside California: to British Columbia
Bloom period
Ribes lobbii blooms May-Jul.
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 lobbii native to California?
Yes. Ribes lobbii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Ribes lobbii bloom?
Ribes lobbii blooms May-Jul.
Where in California does Ribes lobbii grow?
Ribes lobbii occurs in Trinity, Tehama, Humboldt, Siskiyou, Lake, Mendocino, Shasta, Glenn and other counties, at elevations of 665-2130 m.
What plant family does Ribes lobbii belong to?
Ribes lobbii is in the Grossulariaceae family, genus Ribes.
What habitat does Ribes lobbii grow in?
Ribes lobbii grows in Montane, subalpine forests.
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.