Gooseberry asycrisp Mr Green

Gooseberry Easycrisp Mr Green is a Swiss selection that stands out for its thornless branches, making picking much easier. This recent variety is known for its excellent tolerance to mildew and leaf drop. It offers high and regular yields of hairless, juicy fruits with a sweet and fruity flavour. Its dense and compact vegetation forms a small, hardy and vigorous bush, reaching about 1m high. Apart from its susceptibility to drought, this small bush requires little maintenance and its excellent disease resistance makes it easy to grow. It can easily fit in a small edible hedge, in a productive garden or in a large pot on a balcony.

Ribes uva-crispa, also known as Gooseberry, is a member of the Grossulariaceae family, along with the Redcurrant (Ribes rubrum) and Blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum). 

Ribes uva-crispa Easycrisp ® Mr Green is a recent Swiss variety from the Easycrisp range. This range consists of gooseberry varieties selected for their high yields of large, aromatic and juicy fruits, on almost thornless, vigorous and disease-resistant plants, particularly resistant to powdery mildew. It forms a bushy, slightly thorny shrub with tufts of slightly stiff and erect branches. This very hardy bush reaches a height of 1m with a spread of 80cm. The foliage is deciduous, composed of palmate, lobed and aromatic, medium green leaves. This bush resembles classic gooseberries but differs mainly in terms of the fruits which are larger, with a sweet flavour and solitary along the branches, unlike cluster gooseberries. Flowering occurs in spring, with clusters of insignificant greenish flowers, loved by bees. There are more fruits on one- and two-year-old branches. The harvest takes place from early July to mid-August when the bush is covered with large, round berries with smooth and thin skin, measuring 1.4cm in diameter, distributed along the branches. When ripe, the gooseberries turn a light green colour and are filled with translucent, juicy, fruity, sweet and slightly acidic pulp, containing tiny seeds.

Gooseberry Mr Green is self-fertile, so it does not need a companion to bear fruit, but the presence of another variety nearby will increase production. Harvest the fruits as they ripen. It is easier because of the size of the berries. A gooseberry bush produces about 2 to 4 kg of fruit per plant depending on the age and growing conditions of the plant. The fruits are rich in vitamin C, antioxidants, minerals and trace elements, as well as potassium, calcium and phosphorus. Moreover, their low sugar content classifies them among the least calorific berries (50 kcal per 100g). The fruit is purifying for the body thanks to its diuretic, digestive, liver decongestant and laxative properties, provided it is consumed when barely ripe. They are delicious straight from the bush and for added indulgence, they can be sprinkled with a little granulated sugar. In cooking, to attenuate the acidity of the fruits, they can be blanched for a minute and then cooled under cold water. They are excellent for jellies or jams, and can also be used to garnish pies and make cakes. They are also perfect for making syrups, sorbets, ice creams or desserts. The subtle balance between the flavours and acidity of the fruits offers an interesting accompaniment to meats (game, poultry...), fatty fish (sardines, mackerel, tuna...) or as a small touch in salads.

In the summer, a Gooseberry bush provides beautiful harvests and delicious fruits, but be careful of the thorns. You can grow it with Black Currants, Raspberries, Blueberries, May Berries or other varieties of small fruits to form an edible hedge. As with any planting, it is important to alternate species and varieties where possible. This limits the risk of diseases and promotes pollination, even if the variety is self-fertile. It can be grown in a pot, but you must choose a container at least 40cm high and water regularly with non-chalky water.