Missouri Gooseberry Seeds + Cuttings of "Fruitful"

currently unavailable Missouri gooseberry is one of the few North American species that was cultivated to any extent as the plants are very productive.  Some of the early American gooseberry breeders used this species as part of its breeding due to its resistance to disease and increased productivity. But it was also wild collected due to its wide distribution throughout the Midwest. there are other wild gooseberries that were collected but this one has the ability to create larger clones of itself and is very good at establishing in edges of fields. The dark purple berries ripen in July and have to be very delicately plucked from the thorny branches. The flavor is as good or better than any cultivated gooseberry I have tried. Everyone likes them at my farm. Its the thorns that make the plant not universally loved despite the delicious side benefits of a gooseberry pie. But then again, when is the last time you had a gooseberry pie?

It was completely by accident, I had discovered a plant as a volunteer under the power lines on my farm where likely a bird dropped them. Prior to herbicide usage by the power company, a lot of interesting plants could be found there as it was routinely mowed or chopped to remove shrubs and trees. Since then I have saved a number of plants from this location as well as moved others to safer locales. It also has spread to other areas of my farm to a limited extent. The large thorns and long yellowish green blossoms are an easy way to identify them prior to fruit set. The plants eventually form a colony and they do have some stoloniferous tendencies but mostly tip layer as they spread too. This is an ideal plant to make both dormant and greenwood cuttings. It worked for my nursery for a number of years and was very popular. 

Selections can be made for higher yields with this seed strain but it may be unnecessary as the seed strain itself is productive enough as is . I have one  I named "Fruitfull" . It produces huge amounts of fruits. It was selected initially because of its dense and prolific flowering. But it is possible that even seedlings that are not cloned can be just as productive under the right conditions. A number of my customers have told me that this is a good plant for partially shade areas and some have said open sun is best for the best quality fruit. The yields can be very high many times cultivated gooseberry plants.

Bumblebees seem really attracted to the blossoms. This is the only pollinator I have seen on them as the tubular shaped flowers are best suited to them I think. The plants are self fertile and do not follow the other botanical descriptions of them saying they are dioecious. 

Fruit ripening starts in July. Plants are easy to grow in a variety of soils and are tolerant of shade. There was some who thought that these are hosts to white pine blister rust. I have not seen that and have grown them near other white pines. The leaves are clean with no indication of foliar diseases or insects. The birds and chipmunks will eat them given a chance. This is probably the limiting factor in edible landscapes. Getting the fruit prior to the other animals that love them too can be a challenge. Cuttings of "Fruitfull" can be requested with the purchase of the seeds during dormant seasons. 

Varietals: "Fruitful"  Selected as several seedlings that showed heavy flowering at an early age. This multi-seedling selection was found as a heavy producer of fruit more than other seedlings. The yields were greater due to the density of the fruits forming on the branches in thicker clusters. The plants also runner nicely and much thicker than other seedlings making it possible to cut out old canes out as well as allow the plants to spread uninterrupted. This species selection is immune to white pine blister rust but has not been tested fully to prove that. Putting this selection farther north and in cooler climates appears to improve the yields especially if under irrigation or normal rainfall.

To germinate the seeds:  For fall planting lightly surface sow the seeds barely covering them with soil. Best to use sand or peat moss and tamp it into the soil so the seed holds.  Seeds will come up throughout the spring and summer season slowly. A portion of the seeds will come up in the 2nd year as the seed coat is often impermeable to water during that first year.  The refrigerator method: put seeds in a lightly moist Canadian peat moss for 90-120 days at 33-38 F in the refrigerator.  Remove after 120 days. Seeds will sprout very quickly so it is best just to sow the whole lot in a flat and let them get started on their own without the usually plucking them from the seed bag.  Very easy to grow from seed, you can get fruiting plants in 2-3 years from seed. A portion of the seeds come up in their second year.