Practical
Plants

Ribes petiolare

Wetern Blackcurrant

a perennial woody deciduous member of the Ribes genus in the family Grossulariaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

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

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Fruit - raw or cooked[1][5][7]. The fruit is large and abundantly produced[11]. Highly esteemed[9]. The fruit is about 10mm in diameter[8]. Unlike most blackcurrants, it is not aromatic[11].

Plant part
Fruit

Environment

Range
N. Europe, N. Asia to Western N. America.
Habitat
River islands, river alluvium and stony banks, riverain deciduous forest strips and edges in N. Asia[11]. Moist places, 900 - 1500 metres from California to Washington and Montana[10].
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

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a cold frame. Stored seed requires 3 months cold stratification at between 0 and 5°c and should be sown as early in the year as possible[3][6]. 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[12][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[12][8].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

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]. This species could be useful in breeding programmes for blackcurrants[11]. 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. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

    ↩

  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. Yanovsky. E. Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237. U.S. Depf of Agriculture.

    ↩

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

    ↩

  7. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩

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

    ↩

  10. Hitchcock. C. L. Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press 1955-00-00

    ↩

  11. Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR. Israel Program for Scientific Translation 1968-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

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

    ↩1↩2

Edit this page