Somebody local is listing for sale a “melon berry”. It doesn’t look anything like that. I asked and the lady then said it was also called a Marion berry, but those are not hardy to our zone 4 and the leaves are not right. And apparently it is growing outside, her vine is about 10 years old.
The lady says it puts out green berries that turn purple
Looks like Gooseberry to me.
interesting. if its affordable id try it. what do the berries taste like?
I’m thinking Jostaberry?
maybe.
I hate jostaberries…
That would be one upright gooseberry. The only one I have is a pixwell and it is low and brambly, with thorns.
I would be skeptical of any plant seller who called that a Marion berry.
Gooseberries grow on bushes.
Marion berries grow on canes.
Grapes grow on vines.
I figure I dig a bit in case it was something offbeat. I’m a sucker for anything out of the ordinary.
It does look like there are some ‘vines’ in the picture…if it’s a grape it’d likely be muscadine.
I have seen jostaberry get that large though.
Poorman gooseberry can look a bit like that, but mine have not had that much vigor.
A variety of mountain current.
Jostaberry
Thorns or no thorns?
Location?
as are mine. unlike currants they always want to lay on the ground despite my pruning of the lower branches. think im going to put them in big tomato cages next spring.
If you zoom in on the photos, you can see Ribes-like thorns on the stems.
Looks very much like a gooseberry to me. I have one or 2 cultivars that are more upright growing like the one in the photo. Thorns would be more indicative of gooseberry as opposed to currant or jostaberry which are typically thornless.
