Ribes sanguineum
| Ribes sanguineum | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 6 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 8' |
| Width: | 8' |
| Speed: | Moderate |
| Blooms: | Mid Spring-Late Spring |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Ribes sanguineum (common name: flowering currant)
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[1][2]. 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[3][1].
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[3][4].
Cultivation: Easily grown in a moisture retentive but well-drained loamy soil of at least moderate quality[5][4]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Succeeds in full sun, it is also quite tolerant of shade though it does not fruit so well in such a position[5]. Tolerates maritime exposure[6].
Hardy to about -25°c[4].
A very ornamental plant[7], there are a number of named varieties[8]. A plant labelled R. sanguineum carneum (which is probably the cultivar 'Carneum Grandiflorum') was seen at Kew with a very good crop of unripe fruit in July 1994[K].
A disease-resistant plant, the species is being used in blackcurrant breeding programmes[9].
Plants can harbour a stage of white pine blister rust, so should not be grown in the vicinity of pine trees[10]. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[4].
Range: Western N. America. Occasionally naturalized in Britain.
Habitat: Open to wooded, moist to rather dry valleys and foothills[11].
Edibility: Fruit - raw or cooked[12][13][14][15]. It does not have a wonderful flavour, but is tolerable raw[K]. It can be harvested when still firm in August and when stored carefully will keep until November, by which time the flavour has improved slightly[K]. The fruit is about 10mm in diameter[4].
Usage: Tolerates maritime exposure and can be grown as an informal hedge[16][6]. It provides reasonable shelter when in leaf but is rather bare and gives little protection in winter[K].
Pollinators: Bees
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Wind: Tolerates maritime wind exposure
Seed Ripens: Late Summer-Mid Fall
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Heavy Clay: Grows in heavy-clay soils.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Dirr, Michael and Charles Heuser. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press, 1987.
- ↑ Bird, Alfred. Growing from Seed Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan, 1990.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Sheat, Wilfrid. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. St Martin, 1948.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Arnold-Forster, William. Shrubs for the Milder Counties.
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ Thomas, Graham. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray, 1992.
- ↑ Roach, Frederick. Cultivated Fruits of Britain. Oxford University Press, 1985.
- ↑ Arnberger, Leslie. Flowers of the Southwest Mountains. Southwestern Monuments, 1968.
- ↑ Hitchcock, Leo. Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press, 1955.
- ↑ Turner, Nancy. Edible Wild Fruits and Nuts of Canada. National Museum of Natural Sciences, 1978.
- ↑ Tanaka, Tyōzaburō. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing, 1976.
- ↑ Gunther, Erna. Ethnobotany of Western Washington. University of Washington Press, 1981.
- ↑ Moerman, Daniel. Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press, 1998.
- ↑ Shepherd, F. W.. Hedges and Screens. Royal Horticultural Society, 1974.