Description
Pixwell was bred in North Dakota from a cross made in 1920 and released in 1932, and it has stayed in catalogues ever since because it is dependable. It is hardy, it crops heavily, and it asks for very little, which is most of what a home gooseberry needs to be.
What sets it apart is how the fruit is carried. The berries hang in clusters on long, slender stems well clear of the branch, so you take a handful at a time instead of picking one berry out of a thicket. The fruit is pale green turning pink to light red, thin skinned, and at its best cooked: jam, pie and sauce rather than a dessert berry.
Overview
- Berries carried in clusters on long stems, quick and easy to pick.
- Pale green ripening to pink, thin skinned, excellent cooked.
- Low and bushy, about 3 ft tall and wide.
- Very hardy and heavy cropping; self-fertile.
Growing Details
Latin Name: Ribes ‘Pixwell’
Site and Soil: Full sun to part shade; rich, well drained soil, pH 6.0 to 7.0
Hardiness: Hardy to USDA Zone 3
Rootstock: Grown from cuttings
Bearing Age: Light crop the first year; full crops by year 3 or 4
Size at Maturity: Low and bushy, about 3 ft tall and wide
Ripening Time: Mid season for a gooseberry; July
Pollination: Self-fertile; a single bush sets a full crop
Pests & Diseases: Powdery mildew; currant worm strips leaves from the inside out
Additional Notes
- Grower’s Insight: The long stems are the point. Run a hand down a cluster and the berries come away together, which is why this one is still planted as a picking row.
- Regional Insight: Gooseberries perform best where summers stay cool to moderate, from the Upper Midwest and New England to the Pacific Northwest and Rocky Mountain states.
- Explore more berries in our collection: Berries
