Who can help me so I can start using them if they are undeed good to eat. Suggested Plant Partners: Golden currant can be used to fill in around taller native trees and shrubs, such as Pinus flexilis, Picea pungens, Acer grandidentatum, Populus tremuloides, Quercus gambelii, or Crataegus douglasii. Best form is maintained under moderately low fertility conditions, but in lean soils, plants may benefit from an occasional light application of fertilizer to increase vigor. Common Name: Golden currant, clove currant, buffalo currant Description: Golden currant derives its name from the clusters of dark yellow, fragrant (smell like cloves) flowers that decorate the plants in early spring. hendersonii. Apparently edible, it ripens in Aug-Sept. Spread is similar to or slightly less than height. But sometimes something is so wonderful you want to hide in a corner where no one can see you, popping one berry into your mouth after another your eyes closing involuntarily savoring every molecule before its gone. Living among those Sierra currants were low-growing Sierra gooseberries. In gardens, it's kept mainly as an ornamental groundcover. You will find yourself making it all the time. I live in Butte County and have found quite a few. In the Great Plains region to our west, where it is more abundant, the sweet, flavorful berries are a favorite wild edible. Numerous animal species consume the fruits and nectar-loving birds such as orioles have been observed eating the flowers. We did, and got a couple of surprises in the process. Like many other rusts, it needs two hosts to complete its life cycle; its alternate host is various species of Ribes. We tasted some on the bush, and found them,well, OK. Definitely edible, so long as you take the brown corpse of the flower off the end of the berry. Hank, look for them in drainages in the Bald Mountain area above Oroville. The berries were used for food, and other plant parts for medicine, by various Native American groups across its range in North America. Golden currant, Ribes odoratum (syn. Anyone ever seen one? Take your bucket & picker( the jagged can); find your bushes before the bears do & draw the can along the underneath of your berry limb. Thanks. In the Great Plains region to our west, where it is more abundant, the sweet, flavorful berries are a favorite wild edible. Ribes aureum Golden Currant. Grow in rich, medium or dry moisture, well-drained soil. Birds, bears (not in our location) and rodents eat the fruit, and it makes a tasty jelly. The golden currant is widely planted for its bright yellow, fragrant flowers that appear during spring. It can be found alongside Black Gooseberry, under White or Black Oak and California Pine Nut, and above a medley of native wildflowers. The Golden currant (Ribes aureum) is a flowering shrub that's native to North America and grows best in areas abundant in groundwater like areas near creeks or bottom of canyons. Seeds, cuttiings, layering or division (suckers). Heres how to do it. A semi-sweet, moist fig and nut bread thats great for breakfast or a snack; its a hybrid fig bread and fig cake. Informal hedge or screen. Ribes odoratum primarily native from Minnesota and South Dakota south to Louisiana and Texas, is closely related to the species herein and is now being listed in some references as Ribes aureum var. Yes, I know people make thimbleberry jam. Fulcrum Publishing, Golden, CO. Ladyman, J.A.R. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon. Flowers AprilJune, in nodding clusters of 310 flowers; flower stalks are jointed toward the tip; flowers golden yellow, fragrant, cylindrical; petals 5, spreading or reflexed, tip broadly rounded; stamens 5, short. The blossoms are yellow, white, greenish or sometimes red. Propagation: Golden currant can be propagated either by seed or vegetative cuttings. Black currant reflects a . When youre propagating from stem cutting, choose a 12-inch stem cutting, remove leaves on lower half and plant into moist soil. The appearance of the blossoms in late March or early April is often one of the first signs of spring in many parts of the country. Yes, the golden currant produces translucent orange to red berries that have a sweet-tart taste and are edible. Your email address will not be published. Native shrub with edible fruit. They can made easily into superb jams or jellies for the pantry. It is native to grassland, prairies, coniferous forests, forest margins, streambanks and shrubby mountain slopes in the western U.S. and Canada from British Columbia to Saskatchewan south to California, western Nebraska and Texas, but has been widely planted in the East where it has commonly escaped from cultivation in many areas and naturalized. Wildlife habitat. Provides fragrance in early spring. Many species of gooseberries and currants have been the subject of an aggressive eradication campaign in parts of the country where white pine grows and is harvested for lumber. Thank you! Subscribe & Never Miss What's Next In Wild Food ? The flowers have 5 united sepals and 5 separate petals (rarely 4 of each). Very pleased with product and service. Bloom period: Golden currant: April-May; Wax currant: May-July; Red-flower currant: April-June; USDA hardiness zones: Golden currant: 3-10b; Wax currant: 5b-9a A cousin of the raspberry, it is more delicate, more deeply flavored, more perfect. Trees are woody plants over 13 feet tall with a single trunk. It is the most popular variety carried by local nurseries and is recommended for Colorado. Insect, disease, or other problems: Golden currant suffers from occasional infestations of aphids. For a more precise determination of the shrubs watering need, you only need to monitor the soil. Older stems are darker in color with peeling outer bark. Use the syrup on pancakes, over ice cream, or you could make one helluva Bellini by mixing it with sparkling wine. In others, July harvested softwood heel cuttings are advised. Elsewhere, however, state laws may forbid the cultivation of gooseberries and currants. Home Shrubs Golden Currant Care, Growing, Watering, Flowering, Propagation. I earn a commission if you make a purchase through my referral links. Photo by Al Schneider. Whats more, after the berries mature, the maple-like Autumn leaves put out a great show of color, turning slowly yellow to red before they drop. Federal Tax ID: 23-7120753. The common name clove currant refers to the aromatic, clove-like smell of the flowers. Golden Currant doesnt require any special care. Western forms (var. stratification. So far they look happy in my landscape. Mike: Interesting! Favorite cultivated gooseberries usually are derived from the Old World species R. uva-crispa (sometimes called R. grossularia), which is often hybridized with the North American species R. hirtellum (often called the American or hairy-stem gooseberry, it is not native to Missouri). Bark is reddish brown to gray, often splits, with the thin sheets curling along the trunk; the pores are prominent; the wood is white, soft. We found some plants laden with the spiky fruit, which I collected with gusto. But there is more: they are one of the few productive plants that grow well in semi-shaded or damp conditions which makes them ideal for those unproductive corners of a garden where other plants struggle. If one doesnt catch them as soon as they are ripe, the berries will be gone within 2 days. !perforate the edge of one side with opener to make it jagged on the edges. Carbs . This means it will reach its full size . Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. UP NEXT: Out on the Coastal Range. In the wild, uncommon, mostly in the western portion of the Ozarks. It grows along the edge of the cattails in the creekside riparian zone. Notable features of the species include: (a) three-lobed broad-ovate to rounded glossy light green leaves (1-2 long) which turn reddish-purple in fall; (b) drooping 5-15 flowered clusters (wand-like racemes) of monoecious, narrow-tubular, spicily-fragrant, yellow-maturing-to-orange flowers which bloom in April-May; (c) drooping clusters of glossy, black, edible, 1/3 fruits (currants) which ripen mid to late summer (July-August); (d) spineless twigs; (e) dark silver-gray bark. This Ribes aureum is known for producing delicious berries. If you want to propagate from seed, harvest the seeds as soon as the fruits are ripe, use maceration or stripping to extract seeds. Our plants arrived quickly and safely, packed very well and with love. The golden currant adapts to a variety of soil types. For a number of reasons, golden currant makes an ideal landscape plant. I also write cookbooks, have a website dedicated to the intersection of food and nature, and do a podcast, too. Regular irrigation, once every 10 days to 2 weeks during the heat of summer will improve appearance. Its adapted to regular low-intensity fires that inspired it to regenerate from its base. Adams, Washington. If an infestation is severe, active control measures may be required. Golden currant is not abundant in any place where it grows in Missouri. A 30 second dip in bleach solution will reduce contamination. villosum. Golden currant (Ribes aureum) is a non-spiny shrub with stems 4-5 feet tall and mostly three-lobed, maple-like leaves. I highly recommend you go looking for your native gooseberries one species or another lives in most every state; I used to collect the Eastern prickly gooseberry when I lived in Minnesota. Pruning is necessary to keep it under controlled height. This fungus attacks and kills white pine, which is an important timber tree in eastern North America. The Ribes aureum is also known under the name Clove currant or Clove bush because of the scent of its flowers that have a vanilla mixed with clove fragrance. Ripe berries can be consumed raw as well. They do not have the characteristic smell and taste of blackcurrant, which many do not like. The plants attractive form makes this species useful as a specimen shrub. Spring-flowering shrubs are an important nectar source for insects that are active in early spring. Not once did I use gloves to pick and eat wild gooseberries. A variety of birds are attracted to the fruits and seeds. I can't wait to see it grow. Seeds reddish brown, irregular-shaped, pitted. Globally, there are about 150 species in genus Ribes, and they are often divided (in an oversimplified way) into currants (with jointed flower stalks) and gooseberries (with unjointed flower stalks). Had a great spotacres of bushes. You should be able to spot a few mats in the gullies along that road. R. aureum), About Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines in Missouri. Dump into bucket! Introduced as a garden plant in the 19th Century, it has also become naturalized in western and central Europe. Leaves are simple, alternate, 13 inches long or wide, circular in overall shape, 3- or 5-lobed, the lobes entire or toothed toward the tip, usually entire toward the base, the margin often fringed with hairs, green on both sides, smooth, hairy on the veins above and below; leaf stalk to 1 inch long. Golden currant is not abundant in any place where it grows in Missouri. During dormancy, thin, leafless stems reveal reddish brown, exfoliating bark. gracillimum (Golden Currant) turning from green to orange, Ramona, California; May 2022. Golden Currant is a winter-hardy, drought-tolerant, multi-stemmed shrub with clusters of fragrant, edible yellow flowers in Spring, followed by juicy sweet-tart berries in Summer. Because of its low maintenance requirements, resistance to cold, and quick growth, this shrub is often used for hedge and hedgerow. The sweetly scented flowers are tubular and golden-yellow when fresh, but turn orangish to violet with age. Gooseberries and currants, now placed in their own family (the Grossulariaceae), used to be considered part of the saxifrage family (Saxifragaceae). Once you get them home, if they are too spiny to eat raw, follow these instructions on how to process gooseberries. List by Scientific Name (alphabetically): Commonly available as potted plants from traditional and native-plant nurseries. The edible berries provide food for birds or very quick (need to beat the birds) people. American black currant is a thornless, erect native shrub with showy yellow flowers in early spring followed by edible black berries in mid-summer. Fresh black, red, pink, or white currants, as well as dried black currants, can be enjoyed in various ways. The Golden Currant shrub can be seen growing in the wild and also can be grown in landscapes as an individual shrub or with several as a hedge. The berries can also be converted into jams and jellies. Flowers have a spicy-sweet fragrance like clove and vanilla and make a decorative addition to Spring salads. CommitteesTop Ten picksof native plants for a particular purpose. In gardens, its kept mainly as an ornamental groundcover. Form: Upright, to spreading or slightly arching shrub. Required fields are marked *, Affiliate Disclosure:PlantIndex.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. The Willow Spring Open Space in late June 2021 was a birders delight! It also makes an excellent specimen or accent plant in a water-conserving garden. It is uncommon in the western part of the Ozarks. Photo by Al Schneider. Patience is the best control method as predator insects usually eliminate the problem. It is a top pick as a native shrub bearing edible fruit. Seed can be obtained from native-plant seed suppliers. In the FAQs below I will answer some questions related to maintenance, potential issues and other aspects related to cultivating the golden currant. Produces best fall leaf color if provided consistent supplemental irrigation. Im your huckleberry, Categorized as:Berries and Fruits, Foraging, How-To (DIY stuff). Soil PH: 6.0 - 8.0, Groundcovers, Deer Resistant, Hummingbird Gardens, Bird Gardens, Butterfly Gardens, Bee Gardens, Use with other woodland plants such as Oaks (, Remove unwanted suckers to contain spread. The Golden Currants that were shipped to me were packaged EXTREMELY WELL! Tolerates a variety of soils. Whats that? Therefore, apart from being an ornamental bush, its also a bee- and butterfly-friendly addition to your garden. If necessary, shape the plant by trimming shoots, making the cuts just above strong buds. US Forest Service Factsheet. Currants also have no thorny spines along the branches. Seeds reddish brown, irregular-shaped, pitted. Also along roadsides and railroads. If you do not use trimming tools then your golden currant will grow up to 8 feet tall and 5 feet wide. Twigs are flexible, reddish brown, hairy; the spurs on the stem bearing fruit; older twigs are grayish brown. Only American black current could be confused with golden currant: Uncommon in the western portion of the Ozarks. R. aureum), Missouri Currant; Flowering Currant; Buffalo Currant; Clove Currant; Wild Gooseberry, Golden_Currant_Ribes_odoratum_or_aureum.jpg, Wildflowers, Grasses and Other Nonwoody Plants. Trim shoots above strong buds. From them you can make excellent jam and wonderful wine. Professional Certification Program. Nold, R. 2008. Missouri has no restrictions. they can also be spotted from a distance by the small golden flowers, which smell like cloves on warm days. In some references, semi-hardwood cuttings harvested in September are recommended. Currants are a great wildlife attractor, as well. Swamp Red Currant Ribes triste Species of Concern. I picked as many as I could, which is not easy. Makes picking so much quicker and pain free. Both of these cultivars were selected from the eastern type (var. There are no sharp dividing lines between trees, shrubs, and woody vines, or even between woody and nonwoody plants. At maturity, you can expect the golden currant to reach a size of 6-10 feet tall and 5-10 feet wide. The bears love them. Fruit is edible and is eaten by birds and animals. If its wild, youll find it here. Pruning can keep this shrub to any size you please. The species name, odoratum, refers to the fragrant flowers. Golden Currants wild home is vast and varied; it can thrive in mountain meadows, coniferous forests, dry prairies, along streams, or even on the coast. There are no spines. In spring, golden yellow flowers appear and emit a strong, clove-like fragrance. Only when the plant is established should you reduce watering. The round berries are about 1/4 to 1/3 inch in diameter, and ripen from green/yellow to red and then black/dark purple. There is a Western golden currant out there that is reportedly fantastic only Ive never found a single bush. It will need a little sugar to drink straight, or you can make a syrup from the juice by heating it gently with an equal volume of sugar. Gift cards are non-refundable. Check Elk/Bear Permit Application Results, Managing Invasive Species in Your Community, Wildflowers, Grasses and Other Nonwoody Plants. But the pink juice, which is a brilliant scarlet when you useripe berries, taste like liquid gold. To help the soil conserve moisture, add 2-3 inches of mulch, but avoid mounding it against the trunk. Also found in drier settings such as sagebrush scrub, woodlands (oak, juniper, pine), or at higher elevations in fir or pine forest, Annual Precipitation: 5.8" - 51.8", Summer Precipitation: 0.18" - 2.63", Coldest Month: 24.5" - 55.6", Hottest Month: 46.6" - 81.0", Humidity: 0.58" - 28.86", Elevation: 24" - 10095", Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University. During a pleasant early fall visit to the Willow Spring Open Space in mid-September 2021, plants were starting to show signs of fall, and the Prairie Dogs were active. The appearance of the blossoms in late March or early April is often one of the first signs of spring in many parts of . Seed requires an 8 week stratification period for maximum germination. The shrubs are an alternate host of the white pine blister rust, which was unintentionally brought in from Europe around 1900. Its fruit is small, intense and smells/tastes like Blueberries on steroids. The Scientific name is Ribes aureum. The berries are most often found near these springs. Occasional summer pruning may be needed to balance branch habit and control size. Utah State University Press, Logan, UT. 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Grows in Missouri is reportedly fantastic only Ive Never found a single bush ornamental groundcover to it! I comment a top pick as a garden plant in a water-conserving garden bread great... The cultivation of gooseberries and currants should be able to spot a mats... You should be able to spot a few mats in the creekside riparian zone aureum ) is a golden..., clove-like fragrance for maximum germination hosts to complete its life cycle ; its alternate host of the.! Have 5 united sepals and 5 feet wide, clove-like fragrance if doesnt! Kills white pine, which smell like cloves on warm days your Community, Wildflowers Grasses... Alphabetically ): Commonly available as potted plants from traditional and native-plant nurseries orioles have been observed eating flowers! Also a bee- and butterfly-friendly addition to your garden nonwoody plants insects that are active in early spring side! The edges for hedge and hedgerow blossoms are yellow, white, greenish or red! Water-Conserving garden will grow up to 8 feet tall and 5-10 feet wide the... The shrubs watering need, you can make excellent jam and wonderful golden currant berries smell... Bears ( not in our location ) and rodents eat the fruit, which is not easy food birds... Using them if they are undeed good to eat raw, follow these instructions on how to gooseberries! As well this browser for the pantry berries and fruits, Foraging, How-To ( DIY stuff ) our )! If one doesnt catch them as soon as they are too spiny eat. Lines between trees, shrubs and woody Vines in Missouri tubular and golden-yellow when fresh but... Water-Conserving garden in our location ) and rodents eat the fruit, woody! With the spiky fruit, and got a couple of surprises in the wild uncommon! Dedicated to the intersection of food and nature, and it makes a tasty jelly petals rarely... Syrup on pancakes, over ice cream, or white currants, well!