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Ribes rubrum

red currant

Grossulariaceae Western and central Europe

Attracts Pollinators Container Friendly

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterMedium

HardinessZones 3–7

Overview

Ribes rubrum is a deciduous shrub growing 3-5 feet (90-150 cm) tall and wide, forming a clump of upright, spineless woody stems from the base. The leaves are palmately three- to five-lobed, 1.5-3 inches (4-8 cm) across, mid-green with toothed margins, turning yellow before falling in autumn. Greenish to yellow-green flowers hang in slender drooping racemes of 8-20 in spring, each flower small and saucer-shaped. The flowers are followed by hanging strings of round, translucent red berries 0.2-0.4 inch (6-10 mm) across, ripening from midsummer. The berries are edible and tart, with abundant juice. The shrub fruits on short spurs along older wood and at the base of one-year-old shoots. It is shallow-rooted and crops most heavily in cool summers; fruit may scorch in hot, dry sun. Leaves and stems carry no spines, in contrast to the related gooseberry Ribes uva-crispa.

Native Range

Native to western and central Europe, from France and Belgium east to Germany and Poland. Grows in damp woodland, hedgerows, and streamsides on moist, fertile soils. It has been cultivated for its fruit for centuries and is naturalised widely beyond its native range.

Suggested Uses

Grown in fruit gardens and kitchen gardens for its edible berries, used fresh, in preserves, and in juice. Trained as an open bush, a cordon, or a fan against walls and fences, and spaced 4-5 feet (1.2-1.5 m) apart as bushes. Tolerates a shaded wall, which extends picking later into summer.

How to Identify

Identified by spineless, clump-forming woody stems and palmately three- to five-lobed leaves 1.5-3 inches (4-8 cm) across. Greenish flowers and later red berries hang in slender drooping racemes. The absence of spines separates it from the gooseberry Ribes uva-crispa, and the red translucent fruit separates it from the blackcurrant Ribes nigrum, which has aromatic foliage.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height3' - 5'

Width/Spread3' - 5'

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~3 weeks

Spring

Greenish racemes open from April to May, with peak bloom in late April. Flowers are pollinated by bees and other insects over two to three weeks. Cool, settled weather during flowering improves fruit set. Berries follow and ripen from late June into July.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

greenish to yellow-green

Foliage Description

mid-green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 4-8 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range6.0 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam clay sand

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

2-3 years

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grows in full sun to partial shade on moist, fertile, well-drained soils and tolerates a wide pH range. It crops most heavily in cool summers and in regions with a defined winter chill, which the flower buds require. Water during dry spells while the fruit is swelling, as drought reduces berry size. Mulch in spring to conserve moisture over the shallow roots. Birds strip ripening fruit, and netting is used where crops are grown for picking. Aphids, currant blister, and sawfly larvae may affect the foliage in some seasons.

Pruning

Prune in winter when dormant, removing crowded, crossing, and old unproductive stems to keep an open framework of 8-10 main branches. Shorten side shoots to one or two buds to build fruiting spurs. Red currants fruit on old wood and the base of young shoots, so light, regular pruning maintains cropping. Neglected bushes become congested and fruit size declines.