Description
The wild black currant is a small size shrub with palmate leaves, yellowish flowers and purple-black fruits in hanging clusters towards the fall. The fruits are of course delicious and nutritious!
It is best grown in part-shade to sun, rather wet locations.
It is a widespread species in the wild in most parts of Canada. Although a known host for the white pine blister rust, like all Ribes species, it doesn’t mean we cannot grow it domestically if the location allows.
(For commercial plantings, there are a few varieties immune to the white pine rust, obtained from a breeding program using the European blackcurrant).
Germination: sow asap in the fall outdoors; a long cold/moist period is required to break down the hard seedcoats for all Ribes species. Usually it will germinate in the second year after 2 cold cycles (winters); germination may be irregular (over a few years).
Various treatments like scarification can be tried to speed up the germination.
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