[4][5] Ribes sericeum grows on streambanks in forests and scrub habitat.

It is an erect shrub growing one to two meters (40-80 inches) tall, its stems densely hairy and covered in prickles and glandular bristles.

The leaves are up to 4 centimeters (1.6 inches) long and are divided into several lobes with toothed edges.

Each flower has five reflexed green, red-tinged or red sepals around a tube-shaped ring of smaller whitish petals.

The fruit is a purple berry up to 2.5 centimeters (1 inch) long which is covered in bristles.