Ribes velutinum
Desert gooseberry
(c) Steve Matson, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Steve Matson · licence
Family: Grossulariaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Ribes velutinum (Desert gooseberry) is a native California shrub in the Grossulariaceae family, recognized by large stature, dry habitat, and yellow-to-purple fruits diagnostic.
Desert gooseberry is a California native shrub found in the Klamath Ranges, high Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, Tehachapi Mountains, Transverse Ranges, Great Basin, and Desert Mountains in sagebrush steppe, juniper woodland, and pine forest at elevations of 700 to 3,500 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces white to yellow flowers in small clusters of 1 to 4 blossoms. Growing over 2 meters tall with stout, arched stems and distinctive nodal spines, it forms an impressive woodland shrub. Its leaves are small, ranging from 0.5 to 2 centimeters wide, with crenate edges and varying from glabrous to densely pubescent. The fruit is a 6 to 7 millimeter berry that transitions from yellow to purple, often covered in short glandular hairs.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 39 sympatric species; large stature, dry habitat, and yellow-to-purple fruits diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Sagebrush steppe, juniper woodland, pine forest
Elevation: 700-3500 m
California counties: Inyo, Siskiyou, San Bernardino, Mono, Modoc, El Dorado, Lassen, Plumas, San Benito, Kern, Ventura, San Diego, Alpine, Fresno, Tulare, Los Angeles, Placer, Riverside, Shasta, Nevada, Trinity, Sierra, Tuolumne, San Luis Obispo
Outside California: to Utah, Arizona
Bloom period
Ribes velutinum blooms Apr-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 velutinum native to California?
Yes. Ribes velutinum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Ribes velutinum bloom?
Ribes velutinum blooms Apr-Jun.
Where in California does Ribes velutinum grow?
Ribes velutinum occurs in Inyo, Siskiyou, San Bernardino, Mono, Modoc, El Dorado, Lassen, Plumas and other counties, at elevations of 700-3500 m.
What plant family does Ribes velutinum belong to?
Ribes velutinum is in the Grossulariaceae family, genus Ribes.
What habitat does Ribes velutinum grow in?
Ribes velutinum grows in Sagebrush steppe, juniper woodland, pine forest.
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.