Canyon gooseberry
Ribes menziesii
Last reviewed: September 2026

Toxicity unknown
Canyon gooseberry (Ribes menziesii) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.
Light
part sun
Water
medium
Size
36"–72" H × 36"–60" W
Bloom
Feb, Mar, Apr
Native to
CA, OR
Pollinators
hummingbirds, native bees
Before you buy
Your city may pay you to plant this
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A spiny, deciduous shrub with small lobed leaves and dangling, fuchsia-like red and white flowers in early spring. It grows in woodland understories, later bearing bristly, edible berries.
Wildlife value
Early flowers are an important nectar source for hummingbirds returning in late winter, and native bees also visit.
Common questions
- How much sun does Canyon gooseberry need?
- Canyon gooseberry grows best in part sun conditions.
- When does Canyon gooseberry bloom?
- Canyon gooseberry blooms in February, March, and April.
- Where is Canyon gooseberry native?
- Canyon gooseberry (Ribes menziesii) is native to CA, OR, per vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists.
- What pollinators does Canyon gooseberry attract?
- Canyon gooseberry draws hummingbirds and native bees.
Native range data from vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists. Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.
If something looks wrong
Common plant problems, and what to check first
These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.
- It is dying right after planting
- Leaves turning yellow
- Wilting even though I watered it
- Brown crispy leaf tips
- Bugs on the plant
Ready to grow Canyon gooseberry? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.
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