Currant

Currant (Ribes) - The favourite old Crimson-flowering Currant (R. sanguineum) is typical of the few species that can be called ornamental shrubs. This shrub is so common that I need only allude to the fine varieties of it that are to be obtained from the best nurseries. Perhaps the best form is that named King Edward Vii., with very large flowers of intense color. Deep and rich in color is the variety atrorubens (called also splendens), though the flowers and racemes are smaller. The crimson-red of its blooms forms a striking contrast to the variety named albidum, whose flowers are almost white, though slightly suffused with pink. The double sort (flore-pleno) is an admirable shrub, with very double flowers, which last a long time in perfection, and, as they expand later than the common kind, prolong the season. The variety glutinosum is distinguished by clammy foliage and large pale rosy-pink flowers. A new form with golden leaves has recently come to light, but is not yet generally obtainable.

The Yellow-flowering, or Buffalo Currant (R. aureum), deserves to be more commonly grown. It is a different shrub from R. sanguineum, having larger flowers of a rich yellow, which appear about the end of April or beginning of May; the leaves also are smaller, more deeply lobed, and of a paler green. The variety praecox is so named because it flowers earlier than R. aureum, and is most desirable on that account, and the variety serotinum, because it flowers late. Serotinum is even finer than the type.

Collinsia Pictures

Courtesy of USDA Forest Service

Courtesy of USDA Forest Service

L.H.. Courtesy of USDA Forest Service

Ribes americanum American black currant

Ribes aureum var. villosum golden currant

Ribes aureum var. villosum golden currant

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Ribes Gordonianum

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