''Ribes sanguineum'', the flowering currant, redflower currant, red-flowering currant, or red currant is a North American

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Grossulariaceae,

native Native may refer to: People * Jus soli, citizenship by right of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Native Americans (disambiguation) In arts and entert ...

to the western United States and Canada.

Description

It is a

deciduous In the fields of horticulture and Botany, the term ''deciduous'' () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, ...

shrub growing to tall and broad. It is naturally multi-stemmed with an upright-arching to rounded

habit A habit (or wont as a humorous and formal term) is a routine of behavior that is repeated regularly and tends to occur subconsciously.

, although it can be grown in tree form. The bark is dark brownish-grey with prominent paler brown lenticels. The leaves are of alternate arrangement, simple, long and broad, palmately lobed with five lobes. When young in spring, they have a strong

resin In polymer chemistry and materials science, resin is a solid or highly viscous substance of plant or synthetic origin that is typically convertible into polymers. Resins are usually mixtures of organic compounds. This article focuses on n ...

ous scent. The

flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...

s are produced in early spring at the same time as the leaves emerge, on dangling racemes long of 5–30 flowers; each flower is in diameter, with five red or pink petals. The

fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particu ...

is a dark purple oval berry about long, edible but with an insipid taste.

Taxonomy

Varieties

Etymology

The Latin specific epithet ''sanguineum'' means 'blood-red'.

Distribution

It is native to the western United States, Canada and Mexico. In western

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

, Washington, and Oregon, it is distributed widely in the moist regions west of the Cascades. In California it is restricted to areas near the coast, and can be found as far south as Santa Barbara County. In Mexico, it is only found on the Pacific island of Guadalupe, where it may be extirpated. Although its conservation status is secure across the rest of its range, in Idaho it is

critically imperiled The NatureServe conservation status system, maintained and presented by NatureServe in cooperation with the Natural Heritage Network, was developed in the United States in the 1980s by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) as a means for ranking or categ ...

and is found only rarely in Bonner,

Kootenai The Kutenai ( ), also known as the Ktunaxa ( ; ), Ksanka ( ), Kootenay (in Canada) and Kootenai (in the United States), are an indigenous people of Canada and the United States. Kutenai bands live in southeastern British Columbia, northern ...

, Benewah, and Adams counties. It is widely cultivated and naturalized throughout temperate Europe and Australasia.

Ecology

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. The species is a host to

white pine blister rust ''Cronartium ribicola'' is a species of rust fungus in the family Cronartiaceae that causes the disease white pine blister rust. Other names include: (French), (German), (Spanish). ''Cronartium ribicola'' is native to China, and was subseque ...

, which led to eradication efforts in the early to mid 20th century. From the 1920s the genus ''Ribes'' was federally restricted within the United States until the ban was lifted in 1966 due to increased resistance among both ''Ribes'' and

Western white pine Western white pine (''Pinus monticola''), also called silver pine and California mountain pine, is a species of pine in the family Pinaceae. It occurs in mountain ranges of northwestern North America. It is the state tree of Idaho. Description ...

populations. Red-flowering currant is

shade tolerant In ecology, shade tolerance is a plant's ability to tolerate low light levels. The term is also used in horticulture and landscaping, although in this context its use is sometimes imprecise, especially in labeling of plants for sale in commercial ...

but prefers sunny sites. It tolerates drought well, but prefers cool and moist conditions.

As an invasive species

Red-flowering currant has been an

invasive species in New Zealand A number of introduced species, some of which have become invasive species, have been added to New Zealand's native flora and fauna. Both deliberate and accidental introductions have been made from the time of the first human settlement, with sev ...

since it was naturalized in 1904, where it forms dense stands in shrublands and along waterways which crowd out native vegetation. It is considered a 'significant environmental weed' in

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

, though only a minor problem as it is not widespread.

Cultivation

''R. sanguineum'' was introduced into cultivation in Britain in the fall of 1826 by Scottish botanist David Douglas, via seeds he had sent back during his explorations for the

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Nor ...

in the Pacific Northwest. It and its varieties and cultivars became immediately popular among English gardeners. The noted botanist and RHS member John Lindley remarked: 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’s Award of Garden Merit: *'Koja' * 'Poky's Pink' * = 'Ubric'

Uses

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. The flowers can be used to infuse beverages, especially spirits.

References

External links

Jepson Flora Project: ''Ribes sanguineum''''Ribes sanguineum'' — Calphotos Photo gallery, University of California
{{Taxonbar, from=Q149372 sanguineum Flora of the Western United States Plants described in 1813 Garden plants of North America Shrubs Drought-tolerant plants Bird food plants Flora of British Columbia Flora of Mexican Pacific Islands