Practical
Plants

Ribes lacustre

Prickly Blackcurrant

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Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Ribes
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Height
1.5 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

Skin contact with the spines can cause an allergic reaction in some people[1].

Edible uses

Fruit - raw or cooked[7][12][15][1][11]. Tart and very juicy[6]. The fully ripe fruit has an agreeable flavour[10]. When crushed the fruit has a foul odour[13] but when eaten by the handful the odour is inoffensive (this sounds a bit strange!) and when cooked they make a good sauce[6]. The fruit can also be dried for later use or used to make jams and preserves[11]. The fruit is about 5mm in diameter[8] and is covered with weak gland-tipped bristles[9].

Plant part
Fruit

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

The leaves or the bark can be chewed and then placed on sores caused by the prickles of this plant[11]. A decoction of the bark has been used as a wash for sore eyes[11]. The decoction has also been taken by women during labour to ease the birth[11]. A decoction of the root can be taken several times a day as a treatment for constipation[11]. A decoction of the twigs has been taken in the treatment of general body aches[11]. A decoction of dried branches has been used in the treatment of stomach complaints, diarrhoea and colds[11].

Product or use
Analgesic
Product or use
Birthing aid
Product or use
Laxative
Product or use
Ophthalmic
Product or use
Stomachic

Material uses

The roots have been boiled with cedar (Juniperus spp, Thuja sp.) and wild rose (Rosa spp) roots, then pounded and woven into rope[11]. The sharp thorns have been used as probes for boils, for removing splinters and for tattooing[11].

Product or use
Needles
Product or use
String

Environment

Range
N. America - Newfoundland to Alaska, south to Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania and California.
Habitat
Cold damp woods[13]. Swamps and wet woods[9].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 4+
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 4 - 6 months cold stratification at about 0°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, 10 - 15cm with a heel, July/August in a frame[14][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[14][8].

Cultivation

Easily grown in a moisture retentive but well-drained loamy soil of at least moderate quality[2][8]. Plants are quite tolerant of shade though do not fruit so well in such a position[2]. Hardy to about -20°c[8]. Although this plant has spines, it belongs to the blackcurrant section of the genus[1]. 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[8].

References

  1. Turner. N. J. and Szczawinski. A. Edible Wild Fruits and Nuts of Canada. National Museum of Natural Sciences 1978-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  2. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  3. Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0942375009

    ↩1↩2

  4. Arnberger. L. P. Flowers of the Southwest Mountains. Southwestern Monuments Ass. 1968-00-00

    ↩

  5. Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan. 1990-00-00

    ↩

  6. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2

  7. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩

  8. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  9. Britton. N. L. Brown. A. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada Dover Publications. New York. 1970-00-00 ISBN 0-486-22642-5

    ↩1↩2

  10. Turner. N. J. Food Plants of Coastal First Peoples UBC Press. Vancouver. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7748-0533-1

    ↩

  11. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8↩9↩10

  12. Simmons. A. E. Growing Unusual Fruit. David and Charles 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-7153-5531-7

    ↩

  13. Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  14. Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  15. Harrington. H. D. Edible Native Plants of the Rocky Mountains. University of New Mexico Press 1967-00-00 ISBN 0-8623-0343-9

    ↩

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