About
An upright, thornless shrub, up to around 1.8m high, with lobed and toothed green leaves, and dark purple, edible berries in summer. This hybrid was an early direct cross between blackcurrant and gooseberry, and resulted in variable plants, some of which had limited fruiting capacity. The name is often misapplied to more modern, complex and high yield hybrids commonly known as jostaberries.
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, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained
AspectSouth-facing, West-facing
ExposureExposed, Sheltered
UK hardinessH5
Plant details
Plant typeShrubs
HabitColumnar upright, Bushy
FoliageDeciduous
Height1.5-2.5 metres
Spread1-1.5 metres
Time to full height5-10 years
Suggested usesMixed borders, hedging, foundation planting.
Care notes
CultivationTolerates a range of conditions but thrives in a sunny site with well-drained but moisture-retentive soil. Grow as blackcurrants, see blackcurrant cultivation for more detailed advice
PruningPrune sparingly when young; replacement prune from year 3 onwards, removing some old stems to encourage new growth from the base
PropagationPropagate by hardwood cuttings in the dormant season
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to birds eating fruits
Disease resistanceGenerally disease-free, with some resistance to gooseberry leaf spot and gooseberry mildew