Gooseberry Bush Winham's Industry - Ribes uva-crispa

Ribes uva-crispa 'Winham's Industry' is an early variety, producing beautiful red fruits with a slightly acidic but very sweet flavour. This thornless bush is easy to grow, but is sensitive to drought. The delicious gooseberries are ideal for jams, jellies and pies, or as an accompaniment to meat and fish. Plant from October to March for a harvest starting in June.

Cultivated in northern Europe since the 16th century, Ribes uva-crispa is a fertile hybrid resulting from cross-breeding between two species native to Europe and North Africa, still found in mountainous forests in Scotland, France, and the Caucasus. It belongs to the Grossulariaceae family, like red currants (Ribes rubrum). This bush resembles classic currants, but differs mainly in terms of the fruits. They are larger, with a sweet flavour, and appear solitarily along the branches unlike clustered currants.

It is a bushy shrub, branching from the base, reaching a height of 1m (3ft) with a spread of 75 cm (30in). Its deciduous leaves are toothed and pubescent, ranging from bright green to medium green. Apart from a few inermous varieties, it has thorny stems. In spring, it is adorned with tiny, honey-scented, white-green flowers. These will transform into round to oval translucent berries, 1.5cm (1in) in diameter, distributed along the branches. Depending on the variety, these berries can be red, white, or yellow-green. The fruits are harvested when fully ripe, easily detaching from their support. The harvest is approximately 3 to 4 kg per plant.

Gooseberries are low in sugar, and therefore low in calories. They are rich in vitamins C, A, and B, as well as certain minerals (calcium, iron, potassium, phosphorus). The fruit boasts diuretic, digestive, liver decongestant, and laxative properties, provided it is consumed when barely ripe. Gooseberries can be enjoyed freshly picked, consumed in desserts (pies, jams, jellies), or savoury dishes (accompanying meats, fish). In Nordic countries, gooseberry juice was once used to prepare a sweet and sour sauce that accompanied mackerel dishes.

In the garden, it can be planted in a small edible hedge, mixed with currants and raspberries. This would be ideal for bordering a vegetable garden, for example. It is a very hardy shrub that is easy to cultivate, but is sensitive to drought.