Ribes aciculare
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Grossulariaceae
- Genus
- Ribes
- Life cycle
- perennial
- Foliage
- deciduous
- Woodiness
- woody
- Height
- 1 m
- Fertility
- Insects
- Flower type
- hermaphrodite
- Pollinators
- Insects
Uses
Edible uses
Fruit - raw or cooked[1]. Large, sweet and tasty[6][9]. The red fruit is up to 15mm in diameter[8].
- Plant part
- Fruit
Environment
- Range
- E. Asia - northern China, Siberia.
- Habitat
- Open stony mountain and hill slopes[9]. Forest margins, thickets and rocky slopes at elevations of 1500 - 2100 metres in northern China[8].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 3+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline
- Drainage
- well drained
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a cold frame. Stored seed requires 3 months cold stratification at 0 - 9°c and should be sown as early in the year as possible[3][5]. Under normal storage conditions the seed can remain viable for 17 years or more. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter, planting them out in late spring of the following year. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame[3]. Cuttings of mature wood of the current year's growth, preferably with a heel of the previous year's growth, November to February in a cold frame or sheltered bed outdoors[10][7].
Cultivation
Easily grown in a moisture retentive but well-drained loamy soil of at least moderate quality[2][7]. Quite tolerant of shade though not fruiting so well in such a position[2]. The dormant plant is hardy to about -20°c[7]. This species is closely related to R. burejense[7]. Plants can harbour a stage of 'white pine blister rust', so they should not be grown in the vicinity of pine trees[4]. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[7].
References
Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00
Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00
Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0942375009
Arnberger. L. P. Flowers of the Southwest Mountains. Southwestern Monuments Ass. 1968-00-00
Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan. 1990-00-00
Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Flora of China 1994-00-00 http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR. Israel Program for Scientific Translation 1968-00-00
Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00