Cultivated Currant
Ribes rubrum
- Native to:
- Belgium, France, Germany, Netherlands, Spain
Diego Delso (www.wikidata.org)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Grossulariaceae
- Genus:
- Ribes
- Species:
- Ribes rubrum
- USDA Symbol:
- RIRU80
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Shrub
- Height:
- 150 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- apr,may
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow, green
- Food Forest:
- Contains edible parts
- Landscaping Shrub:
- Yes
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Alfalfa Looper (Autographa californica), Army cutworm (Euxoa auxiliaris), Brown-tail moth (Euproctis chrysorrhoea), Cecropia moth (Hyalophora cecropia), clandestine dart (Spaelotis clandestina), Columbia silk moth (Hyalophora columbia), common eupithecia (Eupithecia miserulata), Currant Clearwing (Synanthedon tipuliformis), Currant pug (Eupithecia assimilata), dark eulithis (Eulithis destinata), darksided cutworm (Euxoa messoria), Dysstroma ethela, Eastern Tent Caterpillar (Malacosoma americana), Eucosma canariana, Eupithecia anticaria, Euxoa scandens, Fall webworm (Hyphantria cunea), fruit-tree leafroller (Archips argyrospila), Gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar), Horned Spanworm (Nematocampa resistaria), Hydria undulata, impressed dagger moth (Acronicta impressa), Io moth (Automeris io), Itame bitactata, Itame flavicaria, Itame occiduaria, Itame quadrilinearia, Itame ribearia, Itame subcessaria, juniper pug (Eupithecia pusillata), Limbata angle moth (Nematocampa limbata), Linden looper (Erannis tiliaria), Olethreutes appendiceum, Olethreutes exoletum, Opostegoides scioterma, Peppered Moth (Biston betularia), Polyphemus moth (Antheraea polyphemus), Prochoerodes transversata, Scallop moth (Cepphis armataria), Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum), Spotted Tussock Moth (Lophocampa maculata), stalk borer moth (Papaipema nebris), Variegated cutworm (Peridroma saucia), Virginia Tiger Moth (Spilosoma virginica), Western tent caterpillar (Malacosoma californica), White-lined sphinx moth (Hyles lineata), Yellow-headed Cutworm (Apamea amputatrix), zebra caterpillar moth (Melanchra picta), Red-spotted Purple (Basilarchia arthemis)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals
- Fall Color:
- yellow
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- good drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- prefers fertile soils with organic matter
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