Photo: Mark Robinson from Williton, UK — CC BY 2.0 · source
Survives zone 6 through 8
Blackcurrant bold and earthy (cooked); redcurrant tart; gooseberry dessert vs culinary types differ.
- Hardiness
- Zone 6 to 8
- Habit
- Shrub
- Edible part
- Fruit
- Ripens
- June–Aug
- Mature size
- Bush 1–1.5 m; excellent in containers
- Light
- Full sun to partial
- Soil pH
- 6.0–7.0
- Environment
- Temperate
- Status
- Ornamental
- Years to fruit
- 1–2 yrs
- Pollination
- Self-fertile
Growing guide
Fertilizing. Does not need regular feeding; after pruning, a spring application of a general-purpose fertiliser (or a mulch of organic matter) supports vigorous regrowth — go easy on nitrogen, which favours leaf growth over flowers.
How it spreads. Clump-forming and non-suckering, so it stays where planted, but self-sows readily — birds eating the berries commonly deposit seed around the garden, and seedlings can turn up some distance away.
Growing tips. Prune immediately after flowering to shape the plant and encourage next year's blooms. Highly susceptible to white pine blister rust as an alternate host, so planting is restricted or banned in several US states near white pine stands (e.g. North Carolina, Maine, New Jersey) — worth checking local regulations before planting.