Red Currant
Ribes rubrum
A hardy deciduous shrub that bears glistening strings of translucent red berries in summer, grown in gardens as an ornamental and fruiting shrub.
- Light
- Full sun to partial shade
- Water
- Regular; keep soil moist
- Difficulty
- Easy
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Overview
The red currant is a thornless deciduous shrub in the genus Ribes, grown for its jewel-like clusters of small red berries. It is a long-standing fixture of European gardens.
Bushes reach about 1-1.5 m tall and produce fruit on long pendant strigs (clusters).
Reliable, cold-hardy and shade-tolerant, red currants crop heavily even in less-than-ideal positions.
How to identify it
A neat, spineless shrub with maple-like leaves and dangling strings of shiny red berries.
- Leaves: 3- to 5-lobed, palmate, 3-7 cm across, with toothed margins
- Stems: Smooth and thornless, woody at the base
- Flowers: Tiny, greenish-yellow, in drooping racemes in spring
- Fruit: Small, round, translucent bright-red berries 8-12 mm, in pendant strings of 8-20
- Size: 1-1.5 m tall and wide
Care & growing
Among the easiest fruiting shrubs to grow.
- Light: Full sun gives heaviest crops, but it fruits well in partial shade
- Water: Keep soil consistently moist, especially while fruit forms; mulch annually
- Soil: Moist, fertile, well-drained soil; tolerates a range of pH
- Temperature: Very hardy, withstanding hard winters; needs winter chilling
- Feeding: Potassium-rich fertilizer in late winter supports fruiting
- Propagation: Hardwood cuttings root easily in autumn; fruit forms on old wood and spurs, so prune to maintain an open framework
Habitat & origin
Ribes rubrum is native to western Europe, where it grows in damp woodland and along streambanks.
It is cultivated throughout temperate Europe and North America, and is especially popular in Germany, the Netherlands and Scandinavia. It thrives in cool, moist climates and tolerates more shade than most fruiting shrubs.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between red and white currants?
White currants are simply an albino cultivar of the same species, Ribes rubrum, differing mainly in berry color.
Why did my bush flower but set little fruit?
Late frosts can damage blossoms, and birds may strip flowers or fruit. Net the bush and shelter it from frost pockets.
Do red currants need a pollinator?
No, they are self-fertile and crop well as a single plant.
How do I prune red currants?
Prune in winter to a goblet shape, shortening side shoots to spurs, since fruit forms mostly on older wood.
Red Currant guides
In-depth guides for identifying, growing, and caring for Red Currant.
