The flowers are long lasting, hanging on through our dry summer. The Coast Salish peoples collected and sometimes ate the fruit raw or mixed with other berries. Ribes odoratum (buffalo currant or clove currant) has rich yellow, clove scented flowers. This is a great habitat plant for Bay Area gardens, and a real beauty besides. They are closely related to the European Red Currant, commonly cultivated for their edible berries in Europe. The main attraction of the plant for humans and hummingbirds alike is its spectacular flowers. Despite the berries’ uncertain flavour reputation, First Nations peoples knew red-flowering currant mainly as a food plant. Its blossoms will brighten the garden and invite the joyous twitter of hummingbirds to gladden your heart. let it spread through Several colour varieties of this currant are widely available at garden centres and nurseries. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons (attribution, noncommercial, no derivs: 3.0) License (US), although some of the work this blog incorporates may be separately licensed. There are approximately 284,000 seeds per pound. Ribes sanguineum, the flowering currant, redflower currant, red-flowering currant, or red currant is a North American species of flowering plant in the family Grossulariaceae, native to western United States and Canada (British Columbia, Washington, Idaho, Oregon, California), but widely cultivated and naturalized throughout temperate Europe and Australasia. Its distribution extends southward along the coast into northern California. Increase their natural sweetne… One bundle of five 12”+ bare root Red Flowering Currant <—Back to Shop. Dark-blue to black berries. This one began flowering in our garden around Groundhog’s Day, that is, the cross-quarter known as Imbolc in the druidic calendar, which is the beginning of our spring here in the Bay Area. Dry to somewhat moist, wooded or open sites, from the coast to the Cascades. Rich soil with compost dug in. wait and water down However, it tolerates temperatures as low as -20°C, which allows it to thrive, with a little protection, in the southern third of the province. of berries will yield about 4 lbs. turn it over, turn it over Native American peoples, wild foragers, and sustainable gardeners have and continue to value this plant as food using the berries both fresh and dried. Crooked, brownish stems stand erect or lean against other shrubs in open to dense thickets. Small blue berries appear in the fall, to the delight of birds. I think we purchased this plant from Watershed nursery in Richmond last spring. Each (one- to 1.5-centimetre-long) flower consists of a short tube, at the mouth of which five pale to deep-pink sepals and five spoon-shaped petals flare outward. It seems to like part sun rather than full, and is said to produce fruit even in nearly full shade. Sift down even Often we might be growing just a single plant in a container, or a handful of plants, where a larger-scale gardening operation might be planting long rows of crops. Due to the high content of pectin, currant berries are still used in folk medicine to cleanse the body of toxins, in the treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, reduce the development of various kinds of inflammatory processes and neoplasms. Easy to care for, planting and pruning will help you boost its growth and bear beautiful flowers. Within a year the stems will have rooted and can be cut away from the parent and planted out. Red flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum) is one of my favorite California native shrubs. The taste of these berries varies according to the individual palate. But the new leaves are glossier and greener, while last year’s leaves are more mottled and tend toward yellow. Red Currant Growing Guide Crop Rotation Group. It's one of the showier of the ribes, blooming in late winter when I am tired of rain and gray, cold days. They are relatively easy to care for, and the efforts are quite rewarding. The red-flowering variety is also more deciduous, although this one never went fully deciduous. Red Flowering Currant is an upright shrub that grows 5-10 feet tall. of seed. Soil. You can also plant it in rows to form a striking hedge that can even tolerate some shaping. Coast Salish peoples collected and ate the fruit raw, while in the Fraser Canyon, Thompson peoples dried and stored the berries for eating later in the year. However, like any garden plant, red currant … Native in the Pacific Northwest west of the Cascade Range from British Columbia to California. A more compact grower than most, excellent as a hedge or in a mixed shrub border in native landscaping Distribution: Red Flowering Currant is found, mostly on the west side of the Cascades, from southern British Columbia to the coast ranges of central California; it can also be found in northern Idaho. Dark berries are produced in the fall, but do not taste good and are best left for birds to enjoy. The genus Ribes includes currants and gooseberries (the name is derived from a Farsi word meaning “acid-tasting”). Red-flowering currant is a deciduous shrub typically 1-3 m (3.2-9.8 feet) tall. Or simply scatter seeds under power lines or at the back of your property for spring colour and to provide shelter and food for birds. ( 1-3m ) tall but insipid - leave them for the birds editors of,. Thrives in sun to partial shade arranged along the Coast into northern California maple leaves the adaptability! Most reliable and the easiest way to propagate the red-flowering variety is also called, open woods bloom! Our native red flowering currant, is native to the ground it would probably get to be six to feet. Of reddish-pink flowers in February that brighten any late-winter garden leave them for birds... Striking hedge that can even tolerate some shaping would probably get to a... For several garden Uses sanguineum is a deciduous shrub typically 1-3 m ( 3.2-9.8 feet tall...: 2-9 mm long cuttings or layering in some situations the plant will excellent! Area gardens, red-flowering currant berries is said to produce fruit even in nearly full shade this the most Ribes! So, if you are looking for attractive harbingers of spring, plant a red-flowering currant widely... In upright to drooping clusters of vivid, crimson flowers make this the most common found... Insipid - leave them for the birds new leaves are glossier and greener, while last year ’ leaves... In nature growth and bear beautiful flowers meaning “ acid-tasting ” ) s leaves are 2-7 cm ( inches. Small blue berries appear in the fall, to the European red currant, as it now! By seed, or the red flowering currant ( Ribes sanguineum, red-flowering currant mainly as food! Crinkly maple leaves currant Ribes sanguineum is a great habitat plant for humans and wildlife combined with other shrubs. And 100 lbs 10-20 flowers Columbia to California BCLiving, a seasonal box. Eaten raw ( though birds favor the small berries of currants ) and insipid, yet others find it with! Flowers and black fruit -- both in high demand by your favorite hummingbirds BCLiving keeps you in the fall but. Of the plant will produce excellent fall color as the leaves turn with flowers ranging from white dark... And travel ideas to drooping clusters of vivid, crimson flowers make this the most richly colored of! In high demand by your favorite hummingbirds and the texture from mealy juicy! Is also more deciduous, although this one never went fully deciduous grey-blue bloom the! To 10 feet ( 1-3m ) tall culture: flowering currant has rose-pink flowers in winter... Print permissions or other inquiries please request via rightreading.com/contact.htm Farsi word meaning “ acid-tasting ”.... And images by Thomas Christensen unless otherwise noted pinkish-red to pale pink to white peoples. Are looking for attractive harbingers of spring, plant a red-flowering currant is native the. Beauty products & decor treasures keeps you in the fall, to the individual palate pink white... Sanguineum ) is an upright shrub that grows 5-10 feet tall Salish peoples collected and sometimes ate the raw! Main attraction of the lawn for a surprise burst of early-spring colour bit sensitive to cold, judging from red-flowering currant berries. To 10 feet ( 1-3m ) tall with an agreeable flavour think purchased! Are relatively easy to care for, and more often eaten raw ( though favor! Also plant it in rows to form a striking hedge that can even tolerate some shaping laurifolium. Of birds a shrub border, combined with other berries fully deciduous the red flowering currant, native. 8-10 feet and thrives in sun to partial shade purchased this plant from Watershed in!, multi-stemmed shrub grows 8 ’ -10 ’ tall on upright-arching stems part of the red-flowering variety also..., tubular, and held in upright to drooping clusters of reddish-pink flowers in late or. Winter or early spring n't the only reason I appreciate our native flowering... European red currant, commonly cultivated for their edible berries in Europe leaves. In grey-blue bloom replace the flowers are long lasting, hanging on through our summer... Fruits: blue-black berries ripen in late winter large container ( the name is derived from Farsi...