Red-flowering Currant
Ribes sanguineum Pursh var. sanguineum
overview
Erect, unarmed, 1-3 m tall shrub. Stems crooked. Bark reddish-brown and finely hairy on young growth. Leaves deciduous, alternate, commonly five-lobed, 2-6 cm broad and paler and hairier below. Flowers commonly rose coloured but vary from white to deep red, in erect to dropping clusters of 10-20 or more flowers. Fruits blue-black, round berries with glandular hairs and a waxy, white bloom, 7-9 mm long (Pojar et al.). Photo by Dave Polster.
other names
blood currant, Oregon currant, winter currant
family
Grossulalariaceae
ecological setting
Dry open woods, rocky slopes, disturbed sites (road cuts, etc) at low to middle elevations.
soil texture
Coarse, well-drained soils preferred.
nutrients
No information available.
soil reaction salinity
Neutral to mildly acidic.
moisture regime
Moist soils preferred but fairly drought-resistant once established (S. Bastin, personal communication)
shade tolerance
Full sun to partial shade.
successional status
Pioneer species on recently disturbed sites due to the long dormancy period of the seeds (Williams, 1984).
bec zone subzone status
Modal BEC Zone: Coastal Western Hemlock. Found in CWH, CDF, IDF. Associated plants: In part shade: bigleaf maple, bitter cherry, Douglas-fir, grand fir, baldhip rose, evergreen huckleberry, Indian-plum, mock-orange, Pacific rhododendron, salal, vine maple, sword fern, ocean spray, Western serviceberry. In sun: Pacific madrone, snowbrush, hairy manzanita, kinnikinnick, blue elderberry (Klinka et al., 1989; Ministry of Forests, 1994; Klinkenberg, 2004; www.depts.washington.edu).
site rehabilitation
Can be a useful component of a land reclamation program.
wildlife
Critical source of early-spring nectar for hummingbirds. Fruits eaten by other birds.
landscaping
Excellent, showy, back-of-border shrub for the home garden. Beautiful in groups and drifts in larger settings such as barriers and borders in parks and along highways.
first nations
Fruits eaten by coastal peoples but not highly regarded.
flowering time
April - May
fruit ripening time
June - July
seed collection time
July - mid-August
crop intervals
Annual but irregular
no seeds per kg
129,000 (0.04 kg seed/kg berries)
seed viability
60-65% (400 seedlings/ kg of seed)
seed storage
Store dry seeds at low humidity in sealed containers. Seeds remain viable for long periods, and temperature does not seem to be critical (Pfister, 1996). Excellent results from fall sowing.
fruit seed dormancy treatment
Sow seeds in fall (preferable) or cold stratify at 0-2ºC for three months and sow in spring (Pettinger, 1996; Pfister, 1974).
vegetative propagation
| Method | Success Rate | Time of Collection |
|---|---|---|
| Softwood cuttings | Excellent. Treat 10 cm cuttings with rooting hormone (0.3-0.5 % IBA) and plant under a mist. Rooting in 4-6 weeks. | May - July |
| Semi-hardwood cuttings | Good. Same treatment as above. | July - August |
| Hardwood cuttings | Good. Treat 15 cm hardwood cuttings with 0.8% IBA. | Late winter |
| Root cuttings | Good | Spring - summer |
| Suckers | Moderate | Spring |
| Plant division | Good | Spring |
additional info and photos
For more information and pictures, visit the E-Flora BC website at www.eflora.bc.ca.