How do you identify black currant plants?
Leaves are light green in color and have 3 to 5 lobes with rounded tips. The leaf margins along each lobe are serrated. Unlike, many other shrubs that produce small black berries, there are no thorns on the stems of black currants, but the bark has a rough, shredded texture.
How do I identify a currant bush?
0:031:35You can also see this is what the fruit looks like in the early spring. Now they're still green butMoreYou can also see this is what the fruit looks like in the early spring. Now they're still green but you can see the fruit and the little tassels on the bottom very characteristic of a currant bush.
What do the leaves of a blackcurrant bush look like?
Currant leaves are palmate and deeply lobed, maple-like leaves. They grow on both black currant and red currant bushes. Each leaf is around 3 to 5 centimetres in length. The leaves of the black currant are a pale green in color, while the leaves of the red currant are a bluish-green.
Why is black currant a forbidden fruit?
The federal government had banned the growing of black and red currants in 1911 when the burgeoning logging industry put pressure on lawmakers to eliminate the currants because they were thought to be an intermediate host of white pine blister rust.
Are black currants good to eat?
Black currants are high in antioxidants, including vitamin C. Along with the anthocyanins in black currants, these antioxidants can help to give your immune system a boost, allowing your body to fight infection and viruses more effectively. Black currants are rich in an omega-6 fatty acid called gamma-linoleic acid.
Are black currants edible?
Ribes americanum, or the Wild Black Currant, is a flowering shrub that is native to most of North America, including Lake County. The fruits produced by the plant are edible and can be used in a variety of sweet treats.
Do blackcurrant bushes spread?
Blackcurrant varieties to try Blackcurrant 'Ebony' – a good, disease-resistant variety, producing very sweet, large fruits from early to mid-July. Plants have a slightly open, spreading habit for easy picking.
Are black currant leaves poisonous?
The juice, leaves, and flowers of black currant are safe when eaten in food products. Black currant is also considered safe if you use the berry or seed oil appropriately as medicine. More information is needed to know whether its dried leaf is safe.
How big does a blackcurrant bush grow?
Blackcurrants grow not as a tree but as a bush with multi stems arising from the base. They will usually grow to around 5' and the same across [about 1.5 metres] They are hardy, deciduous and strongly, pleasantly, resinous.
Why is it illegal to grow currants in the United States?
In 1911 it was made illegal to grow currants in the United States. They were banned by the US Department of Agriculture because they carried the white pine blister rust disease. This fungus threatened to wipe out the pines in the US, so all Ribes were banned to protect the logging industry at the time.
What are blackcurrants good for?
In addition to vitamin C, blackcurrants have plenty of antioxidants and anthocyanins. These can help strength your immune system, soothe sore throats, and ease flu symptoms. Blackcurrant leaves also have a range of properties, including: antimicrobial.
Are black currants still illegal in the US?
Blackcurrants are currently illegal to grow in New York, but it may soon be legal to grow cultivars that are immune to white pine blister rust. In the United States, blackcurrants are not as common as they once were, but they have begun to thrive again in areas such as Connecticut, Oregon, and New York.
What do currants look like?
Hunker may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. Currant flowers vary in shape as well as color. Some may be pendulous and look like bells , whereas others may be wider, like small plates. In May and June, the flowers will be in various stages of bloom. No fruit will be present at this time.
What are wild currants?
Wild currants are closely related to gooseberries. Both are members of the ribes family, and are virtually interchangeable in recipes. Currants come in red, black, and gold colors when ripe. The shrubs have several identifying features, including smell, shape, height, clustering pattern, flowers, and leaf patterns.
How many berries do currants have?
Observe the berry clusters. Currants grow in long clusters of five or more berries each, with shriveled flowers that dangle from the ends. Flowers may be one of several colors, including white, yellow or dark red.
When is the best time to pick currants?
Consider the time of year. Currants are usually ready for picking in the early fall season throughout North America. Only plan to harvest currants for eating and cooking at this time.
How big does a blackcurrant grow?
Description. Ribes nigrum, the blackcurrant, is a medium-sized shrub, growing to 1.5 by 1.5 metres (5 by 5 ft). The leaves are alternate, simple, 3 to 5 cm ( 1. 1⁄4 to 2 in) broad and long with five palmate lobes and a serrated margin.
What is a blackcurrant?
ex Ledeb.) Jancz. Ribes pauciflorum Turcz. ex Ledeb. Ribesium nigrum (L.) Medik. The blackcurrant ( Ribes nigrum ), also known as black currant or cassis, is a deciduous shrub in the family Grossulariaceae grown for its edible berries. It is native to temperate parts of central and northern Europe ...
What is blackcurrant seed oil used for?
Blackcurrant seed oil is an ingredient in cosmetics preparations , often in combination with vitamin E.
What nutrients do blackcurrants need?
The blackcurrant requires a number of essential nutrients to be present to enable it to thrive; nitrogen provides strong plant growth and stimulates the production of flower sprigs; phosphorus aids growth, the setting of fruit and crop yield; potassium promotes growth of individual shoots and increases the weight of individual fruits; magnesium is a constituent of chlorophyll and helps increase yields through interaction with potassium; calcium is required for cell division and enlargement and is particularly important for young plants and buds.
What are the polyphenols in blackcurrant pomace?
Major anthocyanins in blackcurrant pomace are delphinidin-3- O -glucoside, delphinidin-3- O -rutinoside, cyanidin-3- O -glucoside, and cyanidin-3- O -rutinoside, which are retained in the juice concentrate among other yet unidentified polyphenols.
When did blackcurrants become less common?
Blackcurrants were once popular in the United States as well, but became less common in the 20th century after currant farming was banned in the early 1900s, when blackcurrants, as a vector of white pine blister rust, were considered a threat to the U.S. logging industry.
What is black and black beer?
If made with any common British lager beer, it is known as a "lager and black". The addition of blackcurrant to a mix of cider and lager results in "diesel" or " snakebite and black" available at pubs. A "black 'n' black" can be made by adding a small amount of blackcurrant juice to a pint of stout.
What is a red currant?
Ripe red currants. Currants are glossy red or black berries that grow on thornless upright shrubs. To be classified as a currant, the bush must be in the genus Ribes. Native to the Northern Hemisphere, these plants have been cultivated throughout Europe and Asia for centuries.
What are black currants used for?
Fresh black currants. Dried currants are used in many baked goods. Popular preparations for currants are jams and jellies. Cultivating currents was banned in the US until 2003 due to a threat to the timber industry.
Why was the currant ban lifted?
U.S. Ban Lifted. Cultivating currents was banned in the US until 2003 due to a threat to the timber industry. The U.S. ban on currants was put in place in 1911 out of concerns about a plant disease called white pine blister rust, which uses currants as an alternate host.
Who was the farmer who helped overturn the currant ban?
It was believed that eradicating currants would help with the problem. Greg Quinn , a farmer in New York, helped overturn the ban in 2003 with the assistance of state lawmakers. Quinn believed that currants could revitalize family farms in New York state by providing a source of income through a somewhat unusual berry.
Is black currant hardy?
Hardy Plant. Fresh black currants. A true currant grows in a shrub form and is extremely hardy. These plants also have a strong will to live and have been known to propagate themselves from cuttings. Most climates are friendly to currants, which thrive under lower light conditions.
How to tell if a black currant is a berry?
At the end of the fruit opposite the stem, there is typically a bit of dried brown plant material from the flower. Squish a berry between your fingers -- three to 12 tiny seeds should be found inside if it's a black currant.
How many lobes does a black currant have?
Observe the leaves and stems to be sure they correspond to the appearance of black currants. Leaves are light green in color and have 3 to 5 lobes with rounded tips. The leaf margins along each lobe are serrated. Unlike, many other shrubs that produce small black berries, there are no thorns on the stems of black currants, but the bark has a rough, shredded texture.
How many berries are in a black currant cluster?
Count the number of berries in the cluster. Black currants have at least 12 berries per cluster and rarely are there more than 20. Each cluster measures 5 to 6 inches in length.
What do black currants look like?
Berries That Look Like Black Currants. Black currants (Ribes nigrum L.) are small, black-purple berries that are extremely tart and usually used in cooked foods or in drinks. They grow in clusters, and the berry has a prominent, scaly, papery tail opposite the stem end.
What are black chokeberries?
The berries are dark purplish-black and grow in clusters, but they don’t have that papery tail that you see on black currants, black gooseberries and the hybrids. Instead, the end has a puckered look. Black chokeberries last on the stem through early winter, too. The berries are ornamental as far as humans are concerned.
When do Thorny Imposter gooseberries bloom?
The plant is spiny, though, and the flowers tend to droop when they bloom in March through May. It grows in USDA zones 6 to 8.
How big do jostaberries get?
Jostaberries grow in small clusters, with each berry reaching up to 1 inch in diameter, and they can be eaten fresh or cooked. Jostaberries grow in USDA zones 3 through 8.
What are the colors of currants?
Currants come in red, pink, white and black. Reds and pinks are used primarily in jams and jellies because they are quite tart. Whites are the sweetest and can be eaten out of hand. Dried currants are becoming increasingly popular as a snack. Some currant shrubs are attractive enough to plant in a shrub or flower border.
How long do currant bushes live?
Care of Currant Bushes. Currant bushes live 12 to 15 years, so it’s worth taking the time to prepare the soil properly. They need well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter and a pH between 5.5 and 7.0. If your soil is clay or sandy, work in lots of organic matter before planting, or prepare a raised bed.
What are the nutrients in currants?
According to the USDA Nutrition Handbook, they have more vitamin C, phosphorous and potassium than any other fruit. In addition, they are second only to elderberries in iron and protein content, and they are lower in fat than any fruit except nectarines. Currants come in red, pink, white and black. Reds and pinks are used primarily in jams ...
Why are currants so popular?
Although they are usually used in baking, jams and jellies because of their tart flavor, some types are sweet enough to eat right off the bush.
Why do currants need water?
Water currant shrubs regularly to keep the soil moist from the time they begin growing in spring until after harvest. Plants that don’t get enough water during spring and summer may develop mildew. Too much nitrogen also encourages diseases.
Do currants grow in shade?
If your soil is clay or sandy, work in lots of organic matter before planting, or prepare a raised bed. Currants grow well in sun or parti al shade, and appreciate afternoon shade in warm climates. Currant shrubs prefer the cool conditions in USDA plant hardiness zones 3 through 5.
Can you plant a currant bush and get fruit?
Always ask for disease-resistant varieties. Currant bushes can pollinate their own flowers, so you only have to plant one variety to get fruit, although you’ll get bigger fruit if you plant two different varieties.
Overview
Cultivation
Blackcurrants can grow well on sandy or heavy loams, or forest soils, as long as their nutrient requirements are met. They prefer damp, fertile but not waterlogged ground and are intolerant of drought. Although the bushes are winter hardy, frosts during the flowering period may adversely affect the yield and cold winds may restrict the number of flying insects visiting and pollinatin…
Description
Ribes nigrum, the blackcurrant, is a medium-sized shrub, growing to 1.5 by 1.5 metres (5 by 5 ft). The leaves are alternate, simple, 3 to 5 cm (1+1⁄4 to 2 in) broad and long with five palmate lobes and a serrated margin. All parts of the plant are strongly aromatic. The flowers are produced in racemes known as "strigs" up to 8 cm (3 in) long containing ten to twenty flowers, each about 8 m…
History
The blackcurrant is native to northern Europe and Asia. Cultivation in Europe is thought to have started around the last decades of the 17th century. Decoction of the leaves, bark or roots was also used as a traditional remedy.
During World War II, most fruits rich in vitamin C, such as oranges, became difficult to obtain in the United Kingdom. Since blackcurrant berries are a rich s…
Uses
The fruit of blackcurrants when eaten raw has a strong, tart flavour. It can be made into jams and jellies which set readily because of the fruit's high content of pectin and acid. For culinary use, the fruit is usually cooked with sugar to produce a purée, which can then be passed through muslin to separate the juice. The purée can be used to make blackcurrant preserves and be included in cheesecakes, yogurt, ice cream, desserts, sorbets, and many other sweet dishes. The exceptionall…
Nutrients
Raw blackcurrants are 82% water, 15% carbohydrates, 1% protein and 0.4% fat (table). Per 100 g serving providing 63 kilocalories, the raw fruit has high vitamin C content (218% of the Daily Value, DV) and moderate levels of iron and manganese (12% DV each). Other nutrients are present in negligible amounts (less than 10% DV, table).
Phytochemicals
Polyphenol phytochemicals present in the fruit, seeds and leaves, are being investigated for their potential biological activities. Major anthocyanins in blackcurrant pomace are delphinidin-3-O-glucoside, delphinidin-3-O-rutinoside, cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, and cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside, which are retained in the juice concentrate among other yet unidentified polyphenols.
Blackcurrant seed oil is rich in vitamin E and unsaturated fatty acids, including alpha-linolenic acid
See also
• Jostaberry
• Redcurrant
• White currant