Jostaberry

A complex crossbred fruit, the Jostaberry originally involved 3 species to create this delicious and easy to grow fruit.

This thornless plant resembles one parent. a Black Currant in growth habit, and the foliage is similar to the other two parents; both the North American and European Gooseberry, and the fruit is somewhere in between. Unripe fruit tends to taste more like a Gooseberry, and as it ripens it tends to move more towards the Black Currant flavours and colours, and ripe fruit will hang well on the bush if protected from birds.

Jostaberry grows into a disease resistant non suckering bush and displays great hybrid vigour. They are frost hardy and grow better in cooler areas. Plants need a chilling period to successfully produce fruit so warmer climates are not recommended. Jostas are self fertile meaning only one is required for fruit production, and will flower and set fruit on last year's growth so Winter pruning needs to be kept to a minimum.