Currant Bushes - 1Gal
Ribes nigrum 'Wellington' - This currant has a vigorous spreading habit. It is very productive. The currants are excellent for freezing. Zone 3. 125cm W x 125cm H. Harvest in July. Black fruit.
RIbes rubrum 'Red Lake' - A vigorous shrub grown for its tasty red berries July to August, good for jam; quite stiff and upright, becoming looser with age; best for a reserved spot in the orchard or fruit garden, allow for good air movement.
Edible Qualities
Red Lake Currant is a small shrub that is commonly grown for its edible qualities, although it does have ornamental merits as well. It produces clusters of red round berries which are usually ready for picking from early to mid summer. The berries have a tart taste and a juicy texture.
The berries are most often used in the following ways:
- Preserves (jams and jellies)
- Wine-Making
Features & Attributes
Red Lake Currant has rich green deciduous foliage on a plant with an upright spreading habit of growth. The lobed leaves turn yellow in fall. It features an abundance of magnificent red berries in early summer.
This is a dense multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage. This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best pruned in late winter or early spring once the threat of extreme cold has passed. It is a good choice for attracting birds to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Aside from its primary use as an edible, Red Lake Currant is suitable for the following landscape applications;
- Orchard/Edible Landscaping
Planting & Growing
Red Lake Currant will grow to be about 4 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 4 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years. This is a self-pollinating variety, so it doesn't require a second plant nearby to set fruit. Fruit is borne on 2-3 year old wood.
This shrub is quite ornamental as well as edible, and is as much at home in a landscape or flower garden as it is in a designated edibles garden. It does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America. Zone 3. Full sun. 125cm W x 125cm H. Harvest in July. Red Berries.
Ribes rubrum 'White Pearl' - Has abundant clusters of translucent, sweet fruit on compact shrubs. The berries make a delicious, shimmering jelly, but their juicy, sweet flesh and can be eaten fresh as well. Plants are extremely hardy and are best grown in cooler climates. This compact, mounding, deciduous shrub grows clusters of greenish-yellow flowers followed by pendant clusters of currants with a pink blush. Zone 3. Full sun. 125cm W x 125cm H. Harvest in July. White berries.