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Ribes rubrum - L. pro parte sense Jancz.
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Common Name
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Red Currant
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Family
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Grossulariaceae
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Synonyms
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R. sylvestre. R. vulgare. pro parte
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Known Hazards
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The fresh leaves contain the toxin hydrogen cyanide, though details of quantities are not given[240]. This substance is found in several foods, including almonds. In small quantities, hydrogen cyanide has been shown to stimulate respiration and improve digestion, it is also claimed to be of benefit in the treatment of cancer. In excess, however, it can cause respiratory failure and even death.
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Habitats
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Damp soils in hedges and woods, avoiding acid soils[7, 9, 17].
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Range
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Western Europe, including Britain.
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Edibility Rating
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Medicinal Rating
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Care
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Physical Characteristics
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Ribes rubrum is a deciduous Shrub growing to 1.2 m (4ft).
It is hardy to zone 5 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from Apr to May, and the seeds ripen from Jul to August. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees, self.The plant is self-fertile.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.
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http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:280_Ribes_rubrum.jpg |
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| http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Hedwig_Storch |
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Habitats
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Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; North Wall. By. East Wall. By.
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Edible Uses
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Edible Parts: Fruit.
Edible Uses:
Fruit - raw or cooked[1, 2, 5, 11]. A pleasant acid flavour, it can be eaten out of hand but is more often cooked in pies, jams etc[K]. There are rather a lot of seeds in each fruit[K].
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Medicinal Uses
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Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Antirheumatic; Antiscorbutic; Aperient; Poultice; Refrigerant; Sialagogue.
The fruit is antiscorbutic, aperient, depurative, digestive, diuretic, laxative, refrigerant and sialagogue[4, 7, 21]. The leaves contain the toxin hydrogen cyanide[240]. A concoction of them is used externally to relieve rheumatic symptoms[7]. They are also used in poultices to relieve sprains or reduce the pain of dislocations[7].
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Other Uses
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Cosmetic; Dye.
A yellow dye is obtained from the leaves[100]. A black dye is obtained from the fruit[100]. The fruit is used cosmetically in face-masks for firming up tired and lifeless skin[7].
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Cultivation details
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Easily grown in a moisture retentive but well-drained loamy soil of at least moderate quality[11, 200]. Plants are quite tolerant of shade, even succeeding on a north-facing wall[200], though they do not fruit so well in such a position[11]. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 to 6[200]. Hardy to about -20°c[200]. Red currants are often cultivated in temperate zones for their edible fruit, there are some named varieties, including forms with white fruits[4, 61]. Most cultivars are self-fertile and set a good crop on their own[200]. The fruit is produced at the base of one-year old and older wood, plants start to fruit at 3 - 4 years from seed[200]. This is an aggregate species comprising R. spicatum and R. rubrum. There is some confusion in nomenclature with some botanists only recognising 2 species, R. silvestre. (syn R. sativum) and R. spicatum (syn R. rubrum)[17, 200]. Plants can harbour a stage of white pine blister rust, so should not be grown in the vicinity of pine trees[155]. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[200].
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Propagation
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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[113, 164]. 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[78, 113]. 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[78, 200].
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 You can download this page as a PDF
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Author
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L. pro parte sense Jancz.
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Botanical References
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1117200
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Links / References
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[K] Ken Fern Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
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[1]F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
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Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
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[2]Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World.
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Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
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[4]Grieve. A Modern Herbal.
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Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
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[5]Mabey. R. Food for Free.
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Edible wild plants found in Britain. Fairly comprehensive, very few pictures and rather optimistic on the desirability of some of the plants.
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[7]Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants.
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Covers plants growing in Europe. Also gives other interesting information on the plants. Good photographs.
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[9]Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants.
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Covers plants in Europe. a drawing of each plant, quite a bit of interesting information.
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[11]Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement.
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A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
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[17]Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles.
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A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
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[21]Lust. J. The Herb Book.
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Lots of information tightly crammed into a fairly small book.
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[61]Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man.
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Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
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[78]Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers.
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A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
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[100]Polunin. O. Flowers of Europe - A Field Guide.
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An excellent and well illustrated pocket guide for those with very large pockets. Also gives some details on plant uses.
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[113]Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation.
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A very detailed book on propagating trees. Not for the casual reader.
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[155]Arnberger. L. P. Flowers of the Southwest Mountains.
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A lovely little pocket guide to wild plants in the southern Rockies of America.
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[164]Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 4.
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Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. A good article on Yuccas, one on Sagebrush (Artemesia spp) and another on Chaerophyllum bulbosum.
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[200]Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
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Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
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[240]Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement).
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Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.
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