Prickly Currant
Ribes lacustre
- Native to:
- Canada, Labrador, Prince Edward I., United States
NPS Photo
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Grossulariaceae
- Genus:
- Ribes
- Species:
- Ribes lacustre
- USDA Symbol:
- RILA
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Shrub
- Height:
- 200 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun,Part Shade,Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun,jul
- Bloom Colors:
- pink, green
- Landscaping Shrub:
- Yes
Wildlife Benefits
- Caterpillars:
- ★★★☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Alfalfa Looper (Autographa californica), Army cutworm (Euxoa auxiliaris), Burdock Borer (Papaipema cataphracta), clandestine dart (Spaelotis clandestina), Columbia silk moth (Hyalophora columbia), Crocus Geometer (Xanthotype sospeta), Fall webworm (Hyphantria cunea), Horned Spanworm (Nematocampa resistaria), Itame flavicaria, Itame quadrilinearia, Limbata angle moth (Nematocampa limbata), Mesothea incertata, Peppered Moth (Biston betularia), Scallop moth (Cepphis armataria), Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum), Spotted Tussock Moth (Lophocampa maculata), stalk borer moth (Papaipema nebris), Stretchia plusiiformis, Variegated cutworm (Peridroma saucia), Virginia Tiger Moth (Spilosoma virginica), Western tent caterpillar (Malacosoma californica), White-lined sphinx moth (Hyles lineata), Zelleria gracilariella, Red-spotted Purple (Basilarchia arthemis), Zephyr anglewing (Polygonia zephyrus)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fall Color:
- yellow
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from root crown following fire. Common in post-fire succession in moist forest understories.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.0 - 7.0 (acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- good drainage preferred
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- thrives in forested, shaded areas
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 90–120 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–42 days
- Notes:
- Seeds require cold stratification. Light may improve germination rates.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Seeds are placed in cold moist stratification for 120 to 200 days or fall sown in containers to undergo a 5 month outdoor cold, moist stratification.
Establishment: R. lacustre is found from Alaska east to Newfoundland and south to California, Colorado, the Dakotas, Michigan and Pennsylvania. There is no conflicting information in the provided protocols.
Source: npn.rngr.net