Ribes triste
American Red Currant
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Grossulariaceae
- Genus
- Ribes
- Life cycle
- perennial
- Foliage
- deciduous
- Woodiness
- woody
- Height
- 0.5 m
- Fertility
- Insects
- Flower type
- hermaphrodite
- Pollinators
- Insects
Uses
Edible uses
Fruit - raw or cooked[11][13][1][6][9]. A rather tart flavour[K], it is usually cooked in pies, preserves etc[7]. The fruit can also be dried for later use[9]. The fruit is similar to the garden red currant[7] and contains rather a lot of seeds[K]. The fruit is about 6mm in diameter[8].
- 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.
A decoction of the stems, without the bark, has been used as a wash for sore eyes[9]. A decoction of the root and stem has been used in the treatment of gravel[9]. A compound decoction of the stems has been used as an emmenagogue[9].
- Product or use
- Emmenagogue
- Product or use
- Lithontripic
- Product or use
- Ophthalmic
Environment
- Range
- N. Europe to Northern N. America - Newfoundland to Alaska, south to New Jersey, Michigan and Oregon.
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 2+
- 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 between 0 and 5°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[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
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 is closely related to R. rubrum[2]. 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
Turner. N. J. and Szczawinski. A. Edible Wild Fruits and Nuts of Canada. National Museum of Natural Sciences 1978-00-00
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
Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169
Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9
Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00
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
Harrington. H. D. Edible Native Plants of the Rocky Mountains. University of New Mexico Press 1967-00-00 ISBN 0-8623-0343-9