Ribes hudsonianum

Common Names

Northern Black Currant, Hudson Bay Currant, Western Black Currant, Currant, Stinking Currant

Summary

Northern Black Currant is a native, deciduous shrub with erect, spineless stems reaching 0.5 to 1.5 meters. Leaves are alternate and simple, three to fifteen centimeters long with three to five lobes, cordate and dentate, with crystalline glands on the underside; inflorescences are ascending, ten to forty-flowered, bearing white, bowl-shaped flowers two to five millimeters in size; berries are black, four to ten millimeters, mostly glabrous and unpalatable.

In cultivation, it prefers full sun to partial shade with moist, well-drained soils and is hardy to about minus twenty degrees Celsius. Propagation is by seed, cuttings, or layering; fruits are edible and used for jams and jellies.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

1.5-7 feet

Spread

3 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 2-7

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally Full Sun to Full Shade; Partial Sun to Partial Shade also acceptable

Soil Type

Moist, well-drained loamy soil with good nutrient content, pH 4.5–7.5

Soil Drainage

Well-drained loamy soil.

Soil pH

5.5–7.0, mildly acidic to neutral soils

Bloom Color

White to creamy white

Bloom Time

Spring

Foliage Color

Green

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Moderate

Seasons of Interest

Spring and Summer

Propagation Methods

Seeds and Cuttings

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts insect pollinators