Currants and gooseberries can be easily distinguished by the presence or absence of thorns; gooseberries usually have thorns, while currants do not. Ribes plants are long-lived perennial shrubs that are cold-hardy, some to USDA Zone 2.

Why is it illegal to grow gooseberries?

Why were gooseberries illegal? Gooseberries were once banned in the U.S. because they contributed to a tree-killing disease called "white pine blister rust" that was decimating these trees. It had a huge impact on white pine lumber-reliant economies like Maine.

Are gooseberries spiky?

Gooseberries are distinguished by at least some stems having spines or thorny prickles, which currants lack, and clusters of 1 to 4 flowers where currants have larger racemes of 6 or more flowers. When flowering or fruiting, Prickly Gooseberry is easily distinguished by the hairy ovary that becomes prickly fruit.