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Summary
Physical Characteristics
Ribes rubrum is a deciduous Shrub growing to 1.2 m (4ft).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 5 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from April to May, and the seeds ripen from July to August. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees. The plant is self-fertile.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.
UK Hardiness Map
US Hardiness Map
Synonyms
R. sylvestre. R. vulgare. pro parte
Plant Habitats
Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; North Wall. By. East Wall. By.
Edible Uses
Edible Parts: Fruit
Edible Uses:
Fruit - raw or cooked[1, 2, 5, 11]. A pleasant acid flavour, it can be eaten out of hand but is more often cooked in pies, jams etc[K]. There are rather a lot of seeds in each fruit[K].
References More on Edible Uses
Medicinal Uses
Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Antirheumatic Antiscorbutic Aperient Poultice Refrigerant Sialagogue
The fruit is antiscorbutic, aperient, depurative, digestive, diuretic, laxative, refrigerant and sialagogue[4, 7, 21]. The leaves contain the toxin hydrogen cyanide[240]. A concoction of them is used externally to relieve rheumatic symptoms[7]. They are also used in poultices to relieve sprains or reduce the pain of dislocations[7].
References More on Medicinal Uses
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Other Uses
Cosmetic Dye
A yellow dye is obtained from the leaves[100]. A black dye is obtained from the fruit[100]. The fruit is used cosmetically in face-masks for firming up tired and lifeless skin[7].
Special Uses
Food Forest
References More on Other Uses
Cultivation details
Easily grown in a moisture retentive but well-drained loamy soil of at least moderate quality[11, 200]. Plants are quite tolerant of shade, even succeeding on a north-facing wall[200], though they do not fruit so well in such a position[11]. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 to 6[200]. Hardy to about -20°c[200]. Red currants are often cultivated in temperate zones for their edible fruit, there are some named varieties, including forms with white fruits[4, 61]. Most cultivars are self-fertile and set a good crop on their own[200]. The fruit is produced at the base of one-year old and older wood, plants start to fruit at 3 - 4 years from seed[200]. This is an aggregate species comprising R. spicatum and R. rubrum. There is some confusion in nomenclature with some botanists only recognising 2 species, R. silvestre. (syn R. sativum) and R. spicatum (syn R. rubrum)[17, 200]. Plants can harbour a stage of white pine blister rust, so should not be grown in the vicinity of pine trees[155]. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[200]. For polyculture design as well as the above-ground architecture (form - tree, shrub etc. and size shown above) information on the habit and root pattern is also useful and given here if available. The plant growth habit is multistemmed with multiple stems from the crown [1-2].
References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information
Temperature Converter
Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:
Fahrenheit:
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Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees,Edible Shrubs, Woodland Gardening, and Temperate Food Forest Plants. Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical).
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Plant Propagation
Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a cold frame. Stored seed requires 3 months cold stratification at between 0 and 5°c and should be sown as early in the year as possible[113, 164]. Under normal storage conditions the seed can remain viable for 17 years or more. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter, planting them out in late spring of the following year. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 10 - 15cm with a heel, July/August in a frame[78, 113]. Cuttings of mature wood of the current year's growth, preferably with a heel of the previous year's growth, November to February in a cold frame or sheltered bed outdoors[78, 200].
Other Names
If available other names are mentioned here
Native Range
EUROPE: United Kingdom (U.K.) (possibly native in s.), Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, Spain (possibly native in n.), France,
Weed Potential
Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section.
Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :
| Related Plants
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| Latin Name | Common Name | Habit | Height | Hardiness | Growth | Soil | Shade | Moisture | Edible | Medicinal | Other |
| Embelia ribes | False black pepper, White-flowered Embelia | Climber | 15.0 |
10-12
| F | LMH | S | M | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| Rheum ribes | | Perennial | 1.5 |
5-9
| | MH | SN | DM | 2 | 0 | |
| Ribes aciculare | | Shrub | 1.0 |
3-7
| | LMH | SN | M | 3 | 0 | |
| Ribes alpinum | Alpine Currant | Shrub | 1.2 |
2-7
| M | LMH | SN | M | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| Ribes altissimum | | Shrub | 3.0 |
5-9
| | LMH | SN | M | 3 | 0 | |
| Ribes ambiguum | | Shrub | 0.6 |
5-9
| | LMH | SN | M | 2 | 0 | |
| Ribes americanum | American Blackcurrant | Shrub | 1.8 |
-
| | LMH | SN | M | 2 | 1 | |
| Ribes aureum | Golden Currant | Shrub | 2.4 |
3-8
| | LMH | SN | DM | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Ribes bracteosum | Stink Currant | Shrub | 2.5 |
6-9
| | LMH | N | M | 2 | 1 | |
| Ribes burejense | Bureja gooseberry, | Shrub | 1.0 |
4-8
| | LMH | SN | M | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Ribes californicum | Hillside Gooseberry | Shrub | 0.0 |
6-9
| | LMH | N | M | 2 | 0 | |
| Ribes cereum | Wax Currant | Shrub | 1.8 |
4-8
| | LMH | N | DM | 2 | 1 | |
| Ribes curvatum | Granite gooseberry | Shrub | 1.0 |
6-9
| | LMH | SN | M | 3 | 0 | |
| Ribes cynosbati | Dogberry, Eastern prickly gooseberry | Shrub | 1.5 |
0-0
| | LMH | SN | M | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Ribes diacanthum | Siberian currant | Shrub | 1.8 |
0-0
| | LMH | SN | M | 2 | 0 | |
| Ribes distans | | Shrub | 0.6 |
4-8
| | LMH | SN | M | 2 | 0 | |
| Ribes divaricatum | Coastal Black Gooseberry, Spreading gooseberry, Parish's gooseberry, Straggly gooseberry | Shrub | 2.7 |
4-8
| | LMH | SN | M | 4 | 1 | 2 |
| Ribes fasciculatum | | Shrub | 1.5 |
4-8
| | LMH | SN | M | 1 | 0 | |
| Ribes fragrans | | Shrub | 0.6 |
3-7
| | LMH | SN | M | 3 | 0 | |
| Ribes gayanum | | Shrub | 1.5 |
7-10
| | LMH | SN | M | 3 | 0 | |
| Ribes glaciale | | Shrub | 3.0 |
-
| | LMH | SN | M | 2 | 0 | |
| Ribes glandulosum | Skunk Currant | Shrub | 0.4 |
-
| | LMH | SN | M | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Ribes griffithii | | Shrub | 2.5 |
-
| | LMH | SN | M | 2 | 0 | |
| Ribes himalense | | Shrub | 2.0 |
5-9
| | LMH | SN | M | 3 | 1 | |
| Ribes hirtellum | Currant-Gooseberry, Hairystem gooseberry | Shrub | 1.0 |
4-8
| | LMH | N | M | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Ribes horridum | | Shrub | 1.5 |
-
| | LMH | SN | M | 3 | 0 | |
| Ribes hudsonianum | Hudson Bay Currant, Northern black currant, Western black currant | Shrub | 1.0 |
0-0
| | LMH | SN | M | 2 | 1 | |
| Ribes inebrians | Whisky Currant | Shrub | 2.0 |
4-8
| | LMH | SN | M | 2 | 1 | |
| Ribes inerme | Whitestem Gooseberry, Klamath gooseberry | Shrub | 2.0 |
5-9
| | LMH | SN | M | 2 | 0 | |
| Ribes irriguum | Idaho Gooseberry | Shrub | 3.0 |
-
| | LMH | SN | M | 2 | 1 | |
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Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.
Expert comment
Author
L. pro parte sense Jancz.
Botanical References
1117200
Links / References
For a list of references used on this page please go here
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