About

Ribes sanguineum White Icicle ('Ubric') is a robust deciduous shrub that can reach heights of up to 2 meters. It features rounded leaves with shallow lobes and a hint of aroma. The plant produces drooping clusters of tubular white blooms, which are succeeded by glossy, blue-black berries.

About the genus

Ribes encompasses both deciduous and evergreen shrubs, which may occasionally have spines. The leaves are typically simple and often palmately lobed. In the spring or summer, these plants produce small tubular or bell-shaped flowers, either solitary or arranged in racemes. Following the flowering period, they develop juicy berries, some of which are edible.

Growing conditions

Sunlight
Full sun
Soil type
Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moisture
Moist but well-drained, Well-drained
Aspect
West-facing, East-facing, South-facing, North-facing
Exposure
Exposed, Sheltered
UK hardiness
H6

Plant details

Plant type
Shrubs
Habit
Bushy
Foliage
Deciduous
Height
1.5-2.5 metres
Spread
1-1.5 metres
Time to full height
5-10 years
Suggested uses
Cottage and informal garden, Wildlife gardens
Fragrance
Foliage

Care notes

Cultivation
Easy to grow in moderately fertile well-drained soil in full sun. Useful for informal hedging
Pruning
Pruning group 2 or Pruning group 13 if wall-trained, in late summer; trim hedges after flowering
Propagation
Propagate by hardwood cuttings in winter
Pest resistance
May be susceptible to scale insects, gall mites, gall midge and aphids
Disease resistance
May be susceptible to currant leaf spot, powdery mildews, coral spot, rust diseases and sometimes honey fungus