[LottyLouis]

Hi all. I'm clearing an overgrown allotment and today uncovered a sprawling, woody fruit bush. At first glance I thought it was a gooseberry, but it can't be. It's covered with small green fruit - exactly like a goosegog but fruits are smaller and rounder. Smaller than a gooseberry but larger than a redcurrant. Fruits are firm and slightly stripey green but the big clue is - no thorny, gooseberry spike on stems.
Any guesses, anyone?

[Norfolkgrey]

possibly jostaberry, if they look gooseberry like they are not yet ripe 

[meterman]

could be a thornless type

[AnneB]

I'd go with jostaberry too.  We have been given one and it loos like your one sounds.

[LottyLouis]

Thanks for your info guys. I'll refrain from chopping and burning! If I like the taste of this exotic invader I'll keep it but will have to seriously rearrange my plans for the siting of veg around the plot - but that's gardening! 

[Norfolkgrey]

Come winter just lift it and move it. Or take cuttings and start with new stock. Apparently they take very easily but I only got mine last year 

[sunshineband]

Jostaberries are delicious -- gooseberry-like before they are fully ripe, but more blackcurranty when ripe. They make excellent jam too.

[wasthiswise]

I have both a jostaberry and a worcesterberry, both of which are gooseberry/blackcurrant crosses.

My worcesterberry bush looks like a gooseberry - ie gooseberry-like leaf shape and spiny.

Whereas my jostaberry bush looks like a vigorous blackcurrant - blackcurrant-like leaf shape and no spines. And it grows like the clappers.

I reckon you have a worcesterberry.

[LottyLouis]

Ah - this is getting interesting! Wasthiswise - you mention the thorns on a Worcesterberry. Ours has not a thorn in sight. Would this mean a definite ID of Jostaberry?

[Aunt Sally]

Net them or the pigeons will strip the lot!

[allotmentann]

There is also Casielle. I think that is the spelling. Another blackcurrant/gooseberry cross. I had that and Jostaberry on my plot. I love the cross of the two. The flavour is gorgeous and much easier to harvest than blackcurrants (if the birds leave any!).

[wasthiswise]

allotmentanne - how would you compare casseille with jostaberry - what are the differences?

[mrsbean]

i would go with jostaberry think it,s  gooseberry/american blackcrrant/european blackcurrant cross

[allotmentann]

allotmentanne - how would you compare casseille with jostaberry - what are the differences?

I would love to be able to answer that question. I no longer have my allotment and l only got a couple of berries off one of the bushes before moving here. So my own curiosity as to the berries has never been satisfied.