Ribes nigrum
blackcurrant
Family GrossulariaceaeAlso called black currant, European black currant, cassis
About
The blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum) is a deciduous, strongly aromatic shrub of northern Europe and Asia, widely grown for its glossy black berries, which are rich in vitamin C and used for juice, jams and drinks.
Care at a glance
- Pet safety
- Not recorded. We have no source on whether this plant is safe for cats, dogs or other pets — that is not the same as safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked.
- People
- Not recorded.
- Light
- Full sun is best; tolerates partial shade. Avoid sites exposed to cold winds or late frosts, which damage flowers.
- Water
- Water regularly in dry spells for the first two years; established plants in the ground rarely need watering, but container plants need steady moisture all season.
- Soil
- Well-drained but moisture-retentive soil; enrich poor or light soils with organic matter before planting.
- Pot
- Can be grown in containers if kept consistently moist through the growing season.
- Propagation
- Hardwood cuttings about 20 cm long taken mid-autumn to winter from healthy, virus-free plants.
- Mature size
- About 1.5 m (5 ft) tall and wide; space plants 1.5–1.8 m apart.
- Hardiness
- Winter hardy; later-flowering cultivars suit cold, frost-prone locations.
Field notes
Morphology
A medium shrub about 1.5 m tall and wide. Alternate leaves 3–5 cm across have five palmate lobes and serrated edges; all parts are strongly aromatic. Hanging racemes ('strigs') up to 8 cm hold 10–20 small flowers, followed by bunches of glossy black berries in summer.
Distribution & habitat
Native to temperate central and northern Europe and northern Asia, favouring damp, fertile soils.
Ecology
Flowers open in sequence from the base of the strig and are mostly insect-pollinated, with some wind pollination. Partly self-fertile, but cross-pollination increases fruit set.
Cultivation notes
Widely grown commercially and in gardens; fruit is picked by hand or machine. Plants are winter hardy, but cold weather at flowering can reduce the crop. European cultivation likely began in the late 17th century.
History & etymology
Leaves, bark and roots were used in traditional remedies. In Second World War Britain, when imported citrus was scarce, blackcurrants became an important vitamin C source.
Habitat
- Altitude
- Not recorded
- Altitude class
- —
Cultivation
- Difficulty
- Not recorded
Text adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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