Gooseberry
Gooseberry (US and northern UK: GOOSS-berr-ee or GOOZ-berr-ee, southern UK: GUUZ-bər-ee) is a common name for many species of Ribes (which also includes currants), as well as a large number of plants of similar appearance, and also several unrelated plants. The term gooseberry has a debated etymology.
The berries of those in the genus Ribes are edible and may be green, orange, red, purple, yellow, white, or black. Black bears, birds, and small mammals eat the berries, while game animals, coyotes, foxes and raccoons browse the foliage. The bushes are hosts to various insect species, including the magpie moth and the comma butterfly.
William Turner described the gooseberry in his Herball, written about the middle of the 16th century. Improved varieties were probably first raised by the gardeners of Holland. The gooseberry was more populous in North America before it was discovered that it carries blister rust, deadly to certain pines, resulting in its removal from forest areas.
Humans cultivate gooseberries as insect habitats or directly for the sweet fruits. Numerous cultivars have been developed for both commercial and domestic use. Gooseberries are edible and can be eaten raw, or cooked as an ingredient in desserts, such as pies, fools and crumbles. Early pickings are generally sour and more appropriate for culinary use. Raw gooseberries are 88% water, 10% carbohydrates, and 1% each of fat and protein.
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