| Ribes sanguineum | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Saxifragales |
| Family: | Grossulariaceae |
| Genus: | Ribes |
| Species: | R. sanguineum |
| Binomial name | |
| Ribes sanguineum Pursh 1813 | |
 | |
| States and territories where it is native | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
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Ribes sanguineum, theflowering currant,redflower currant,red-flowering currant, orred currant[3] is a North Americanspecies offlowering plant in thefamily Grossulariaceae. It isnative to the western United States and Canada.
It is adeciduousshrub growing to 3 metres (10 feet) tall and broad.[4] It is naturally multi-stemmed with an upright-arching to roundedhabit, although it can be grown in tree form.[5] Thebark is dark brownish-grey with prominent paler brownlenticels.
Theleaves are alternately arranged, simple, 2–7 centimetres (1–3 inches) long and broad,palmately lobed with five lobes. When young in spring, they have a strongresinous scent.[5]
Theflowers are produced in early spring at the same time as the leaves emerge, on danglingracemes 3–7 cm (1–3 in) long of 5–30 flowers; each flower is 5–10 millimetres (1⁄4–3⁄8 in) in diameter, with five red, pink, or white[6] petals.
Thefruit is a dark purple ovalberry about1 cm (3⁄8 in) long; it has an insipid taste.[7]
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| Image | Subspecies | Description | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Ribes sanguineum var.glutinosum | Racemes with 15–40 pendant flowers, sepals pink to white. | Oregon andCalifornia south toSanta Barbara County, andGuadalupe Island, elevations of 0–2,300 m (0–7,546 ft)[8] |
 | Ribes sanguineum var.sanguineum[9] | Racemes with 5-15(-20) erect to stiffly spreading flowers, sepals red. | California,Idaho, Oregon, andWashington, elevations of 1,300–2,400 m (4,300–7,900 ft).[10] |
The Latinspecific epithetsanguineum means 'blood-red'.[11]
It is native to the western United States, Canada and Mexico. In westernBritish Columbia,[12] Washington, and Oregon, it is distributed widely in the moist regions west of theCascades.[13] In California it is restricted to areas near the coast, and can be found as far south as Santa Barbara County.[14] In Mexico, it is only found on the Pacific island ofGuadalupe, where it may be extirpated.[15] Although its conservation status is secure across the rest of its range, in Idaho it iscritically imperiled and is found only rarely inBonner,Kootenai,Benewah, andAdams counties.[16][17]
It is widely cultivated and naturalized throughout temperate Europe and Australasia.[18]
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The early spring nectar of red-flowering currant is used by hummingbirds as well as butterflies, which along with moths browse the leaves in their larval stage. Deer and elk occasionally browse the leaves, and the berries are consumed by birds and small mammals. Its branches provide nesting habitat for birds.[19]
The species is a host towhite pine blister rust, which led to eradication efforts in the early to mid-20th century.[3] From the 1920s the genusRibes was federally restricted within the United States until the ban was lifted in 1966 due to increased resistance among bothRibes andWestern white pine populations.[20]
Red-flowering currant isshade tolerant but prefers sunny sites. It tolerates drought well, but prefers cool and moist conditions.[4][20]
Red-flowering currant has been aninvasive species in New Zealand since it was naturalized in 1904,[21] where it forms dense stands in shrublands and along waterways which crowd out native vegetation.[22]
It is considered a 'significant environmental weed' inTasmania, though only a minor problem as it is not widespread.[23]
R. sanguineum was introduced into cultivation in Britain in the fall of 1826 by ScottishbotanistDavid Douglas, via seeds he had sent back during his explorations for theRoyal Horticultural Society in the Pacific Northwest. It and its varieties and cultivars became immediately popular among English gardeners.[24] The noted botanist and RHS memberJohn Lindley remarked:
...of such importance do we consider [red-flowering currant] to the embellishment of our gardens, that if the expense incurred by the Horticultural Society in Mr. Douglas' voyage had been attended with no other result than the introduction of this species, there would have been no ground for dissatisfaction.
It remains a popular garden shrub, valued for its brightly colored and scented flowers in early spring, and birds and habitat support. Numerous cultivars have been selected with flowers ranging from white to dark red. The following cultivars have gained the Royal Horticultural Society’sAward of Garden Merit:[25]
The berries are edible but of a poor flavour.[7][6]
Both indigenous and non-indigenous people use the berries for food, eating them fresh or dried or making them into jams, pies, juice, or syrup.[19] The flowers can be used to infuse beverages, especially spirits.
Media related toRibes sanguineum at Wikimedia Commons
