Genuinely late
It ripens from mid-July into early August and keeps the basket going after early green and yellow cultivars.
Ribes uva-crispa EASYCRISP® ‘Lady Late’ 13cm
Normal price
€12,00
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Ribes uva-crispa EASYCRISP® ‘Lady Late’
She takes her time and plays hard to get, but one taste… addictive 🫠
- Harvest mid-July–August
- Large dark-red fruit
- Sweet balanced flavour
- Strong mildew tolerance
Ribes uva-crispa EASYCRISP® ‘Lady Late’ saves its finest moment for last, with very large dark-red fruit after most cultivars have finished cropping. Smooth thin skin encloses juicy flesh with a sweet balanced flavour that deserves to ripen fully on the bush. Almost thornless stems make picking delightfully simple and turn this late cultivar into a genuine star of the summer fruit garden.
Let the fruit develop an even deep-red colour and keep the bush light, airy and evenly moist while it ripens.
What makes it special
‘Lady Late’ extends the season without sacrificing size, flavour or picking comfort.
Large smooth berry
Dark-red fruit is among the largest in the range, without irritating hairs and with abundant juice.
Easy access
The few spines occur mainly low down and on older wood, leaving the fruiting zone friendly to the hand.
Why you will love it: It closes the season with striking colour and fruit large enough to become the first talking point at the table.
In the garden & on the terracePositioning & plant combinationsAn open bush in morning sun, with space around it and light shade on the hottest afternoons.
Ideal position
Plant in sun or bright partial shade, allowing about 1.2–1.5m from neighbouring shrubs. In warm regions avoid a south-facing wall that reflects fierce heat onto the dark fruit.
Compatible combinations
Flowering clumps with gentle root systems suit it, positioned beyond the circle of basal stems.
- Alchemilla mollis — Clouds of green-yellow flowers brighten the base and tolerate cool partial shade.
- Geranium sanguineum — It forms a low pink edge without blocking air around the bush.
- Salvia nemorosa — Upright purple spikes echo the branches and attract pollinators.
Care at a glance
Light
Sun to partial shade; avoid fierce reflected heat.
Water
Deep watering when the surface dries, especially while berries fill.
Climate & hardiness
Very good winter hardiness; the main protection is from summer heat on the fruit.
Safety
Wash fully ripe fruit before eating.
Detailed careComplete care guideSoil, watering, support, feeding and cultivar-specific prevention.
Soil & drainage
Choose fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil with a slightly acidic to neutral reaction. Keep the crown clear and mulch the outer root zone with organic material.
Watering
Water deeply when the surface dries, especially during flowering and while the fruit is swelling. Even moisture helps the thin skin remain supple.
Shape & support
Form an open goblet with 6–8 main stems. Support only a heavily laden outer branch rather than tying the whole bush.
Feeding
Each spring add mature compost and a balanced fruit-shrub feed according to its label. Excess nitrogen crowds the crown and delays wood ripening.
Heat protection
In very hot regions choose morning sun with light afternoon shade. Retain enough foliage around pale fruit to prevent scorching.
Prevent problems
Remove stems touching the soil, water at the base and do not strip too much foliage from the crown just before a heatwave.
From flower to basketFruiting & harvestSimple guidance on pollination, ripening, picking and protecting the crop.
Pollination
‘Lady Late’ is self-fertile and crops alone. A second cultivar flowering in April–May provides insects with more pollen.
When it ripens
Picking usually begins in mid-July and can continue into early August, depending on climate.
How to harvest
Wait until the fruit is deep red, slightly yielding and sweet. Hold it by the short stalk and lift gently.
Fruit protection
In fierce heat temporarily shade the western side with light shade cloth. For birds use separate taut netting over a frame.
After planting: water deeply and retain ample healthy foliage so the bush establishes with an open yet full shape.
Clear pruning planHow to prune this fruiting plantLate winter for renewal · early summer for light lateral shortening
When to prune
Late winter for renewal · early summer for light lateral shortening
‘Lady Late’ carries its finest large fruit on young and middle-aged wood. Build an open goblet, renew the darkest branches gradually and retain enough foliage to shade the late fruit.
01
Build
Young open bush
Action: Choose 5–6 outward-facing main stems and remove only broken or very low competitors.
Retain: Keep a clear centre and healthy length for future fruiting laterals.
02
Train
Productive goblet
Action: In winter remove crossing branches and shorten only overlong laterals above an outward bud. In early summer cut new non-fruiting laterals after five leaves.
Retain: Keep short fruiting spurs and foliage around the late berries.
03
Renew
Gradual renewal
Action: Cut one or two of the darkest ageing stems at ground level and allow the same number of new replacements.
Retain: Keep 6–8 stems of different ages around a bright protected centre.
New / productive — retainOld or exhausted woodCut point
Clean tools
Use sharp, clean tools suited to the diameter of the wood.
After picking
Remove one very low exhausted lateral if it obstructs watering. Leave the remaining foliage to feed the wood.
Do not do this: Do not over-thin the crown before late fruit ripens; sudden exposure to fierce sun causes scorching and splitting.
Development over timeHow the plant developsA realistic path from establishment to mature form.
Crown formation
Outward-facing stems create a low goblet with room for easy access.
Lateral filling
Short fruiting laterals form along younger wood and fill with green berries.
Late maturity
Heavy red berries hang in an open yet leafy crown towards the end of the season.
Mature habit & dimensions
Mature form in 4–6 yearsHeight 1.2–1.5mSpread 1.2–1.5mOpen almost thornless bush
Main branches spread from a low base while keeping the centre open. Small lobed leaves frame short fruiting shoots, leaving access to the large individual berries.
Form through the seasons
Flowers April–May · late fruitOpen gobletVery few spinesDark red
SpringSmall greenish hanging flowers appear singly or in pairs, close to the young leaves.
Late fruitingLarge smooth berries turn deep red, hanging on short stalks beneath the leaves.
Older wood may carry a few low spines while the upper fruiting zone remains almost thornless.
What to expect after planting: Outward-facing stems create a low goblet with room for easy access.
History & originCultivar originThe late red selection that completed the harvest season of the almost thornless EASYCRISP® range.
‘Lady Late’ emerged from Lubera’s long-running gooseberry breeding programme in Switzerland and Germany. The ambitious goal was to combine large flavoursome fruit, strong tolerance of American gooseberry mildew and very few spines in the picking zone.
In trials during the early 2010s, one red selection stood out because it ripened later than the other nearly thornless lines. Despite the late season, berries remained very large, smooth and juicy while the bush retained healthy foliage until harvest.
The selection was named ‘Lady Late’ and joined the EASYCRISP® range, whose name reflects easy access and pleasant fruit texture. Its appearance in catalogues from 2013 shows that it was designed as the late finish to a complete sequence of colours and seasons.
Greenleaf for Plant NerdsScientific details nobody asked forBotanical detail behind the plant's appearance and behaviour
Spines and hybrid ancestry
Reduced spines in EASYCRISP® gooseberries are associated with North American genetic material, especially Ribes hirtellum, used with European lines for resilience and improved fruit.
Where fruit forms
Flowers arise on short laterals and spurs carried by younger wood. Selective thinning therefore retains more productive sites than uniform clipping.
Frequently asked questions
Six practical answers for choosing, growing, harvesting and pruning this exact cultivar.
01Does it need another plant?
No. It is self-fertile, while another cultivar flowering with it can enhance fruit set.
02How large does it become?
Approximately 1.2–1.5m high and similarly wide as an open multi-stemmed bush.
03Is it suitable for a container?
Yes, in a large container with even watering, an open shape and light shade on hot afternoons.
04When is the fruit picked?
From mid-July into early August, when berries are deep red and slightly yielding.
05Is it completely thornless?
It is almost thornless. A few spines may occur low down or on older wood.
06When should it be pruned?
In late winter for renewal and lightly in early summer only on long non-fruiting laterals.
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