What is this plant with spikey ball fruits??

Question

I came upon it in the forest. i live in new york state. what is this??? are the fruits edible?? they were full of seeds.

http://www.mistari.com/spikeballs.jpg

Answer 1

Looks like a gooseberry.

Answer 2

i wouldn't just eat a plant i found in the woods, if i were you...D:

Answer 3

It's a gooseberry (or a prickly currant, same genus), and they are native to New York:  

http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symb...

http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symb...

http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symb...

- those are just the ones with prickly fruits.

Maybe you're thinking they're not native because a number of states have tried to eradicate them because they're the alternate host in the life cycle of a rust fungus that kills white pine:  http://plant-disease.ippc.orst.edu/disea...  and the spores can potentially be carried up to 1/2 mile from an infected plant.  So gooseberries and currents aren't found in the frequency with which they once were.

Answer 4

It may be a goose berry Plant but donot taste a new plant wildly.

Answer 5

I also say gooseberry as I have several plants of them.