Ribes rubrum Rovada - Redcurrant

The Redcurrant Ribes rubrum Rovada is a late variety, offering good yields. Self-fertile, it produces long clusters of red fruits which are easy to pick. These currants are very tasty, fragrant and slightly acidic. It is a variety native to the Netherlands. Easy to grow in non-scorching sun, in well-drained and even poor soil, requiring support. Plant from October to March for a harvest starting in late July.

The redcurrant, also known as Ribes rubrum, belongs to the Grossulariaceae family, like the Gooseberry. It is a plant cultivated for a long time, which grows spontaneously in many temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, from Europe to Siberia, to Manchuria. The Currant is a bushy, non-thorny shrub, with a clump-like habit of slightly stiff and sparsely branched stems, with soft wood. This very hardy bush will reach 1.50m (4ft 11in) in all directions. The foliage is deciduous, composed of palmate, lobed and aromatic, medium green leaves.

Flowering occurs in spring, in the form of clusters of small inconspicuous green to brownish flowers, intensely visited by bees. Fruit set occurs mainly on one and two year old branches. The bush is then covered with numerous clusters of small round and translucent berries, containing small seeds. Harvesting takes place as the fruits ripen. The Rovada variety produces long clusters of red fruits, to be harvested from late July. Currants have a red, fragrant and slightly acidic flesh. Whether white or red, currants are low in calories, rich in minerals and trace elements as well as potassium, calcium and phosphorus. They also provide a good source of vitamin C and fibre.

Use fresh currants in jelly or in pastries for tart fillings or sorbet making. In the garden, this bush takes on its full charm when it is laden with its long blood-red clusters that play with the summer light. The pleasure is threefold, visual and gastronomic, but also olfactory when its warm foliage perfumes the garden. It pairs well with white currant varieties, gooseberries, and shrubs that offer a beautiful non-edible fruiti, such as Leycesteria formosa, beautyberries, Nandina domestica and its varieties, Japanese quinces, small-leaved Cotoneaster, Hypericum Magical Beauty, symphoricarpos... For small gardens, or to save space, it is wise to train this currant against a wall or grow it as a standard. Note that the currant can perfectly be part of a terrace orchard, as it performs quite well in large pots, from a depth of around 40cm (15.7in), taking care not to water it with too hard water.