Ribes quercetorum, commonly known as Rock Gooseberry, is a deciduous shrub native to chaparral, coastal sage scrub, and foothill woodlands in California and Northwest Mexico. This plant typically forms a thicket with arching stems up to 1.5 meters (5 feet) long, each bearing 1 to 3 sharp spines up to 1.5 centimeters (0.6 inch) long at the nodes. The leaves are lightly hairy, glandular, up to 3 centimeters (1.2 inches) long, and divided into lobes with toothed or lobed tips. Rock Gooseberry blooms in early spring, producing a raceme of 2 or 3 small flowers. The flowers feature five reflexed yellow sepals and a ring of smaller cream-colored petals, forming a tube-like structure. The spherical, edible black berries are nearly a centimeter (0.4 inch) in diameter and are enjoyed by local wildlife.

Rock Gooseberry is valued for its drought tolerance and wildlife-friendly attributes, including its flowers that attract pollinators and its berries that provide food for birds. It is used in native plant gardens, as a component of wildlife habitat restoration projects, and for erosion control on slopes. In cultivation, it thrives in full sun to part shade, requires moderate water, and prefers soils with slow drainage. While generally low-maintenance, it can be susceptible to powdery mildew and rust diseases. Gardeners should also be cautious of its spiny stems when planting in areas with foot traffic.CC BY-SA 4.0