About
An upright shrub with green foliage. Self-pollinating. One of the earliest varieties to ripen. Green and white flowers appear in spring followed by heavy crops of large sweet fruits on long strings in June and July.
About the genus
Ribes can be deciduous or evergreen shrubs, sometimes spiny, with simple, usually palmately lobed leaves and small tubular or bell-shaped, solitary or racemose flowers borne in spring or summer, followed by juicy, sometimes edible berries
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun, Partial shade
Soil typeClay, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained, Well-drained
AspectSouth-facing, North-facing, West-facing, East-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH6
Plant details
Plant typeFruit Edible, Shrubs
HabitBushy, Columnar upright
FoliageDeciduous
Height1.5-2.5 metres
Spread1-1.5 metres
Time to full height5-10 years
Suggested usesCottage and informal garden, Wildlife gardens
Care notes
CultivationGrow in a well-drained, fertile soil with a neutral to acid pH. Full sun is preferred, but partial shade is tolerated and plants can be trained against a north wall. Grow as a permanent framework as a bush, standard, cordon or fan. Keep the around the bushes free of other plants. Mulch with well rotted compost, manure or bark particularly on dry soils. Further redcurrant cultivation advice
PruningMain pruning is carried out in dormant season, along with summer pruning of vigorous laterals
PropagationPropagate by hardwood cuttings in autumn
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to aphids, scale insects and sawflies
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to a leaf spot, powdery mildews, coral spot and sometimes honey fungus