Ribes - Flowering Currants

The flowering currant bush, also known as false currant, similar to the Ribes sanguineum, is a small ornamental bush appreciated for its spring flowers, unlike its cousins, gooseberries or blackcurrants that are cultivated for their tasty fruits. Forming a bushy, dense and rounded shrub, the flowering currant bears aromatic deciduous leaves, releasing a pleasant smell of blackcurrant when crushed. The abundant and vibrant flowering, ranging from white to pink and bright red in 'King Edward VII' or even variegated with cream in the Ribes gordonianum, appears on the newly leafed branches in early spring. This bush works wonders in a free hedge or in a shrub bed, it also pairs well with spring bulbs like daffodils. It also adapts to pot cultivation for the terrace or balcony, and its flowering branches are charming in spring bouquets. Hardy, the flowering currant bush is easy to grow in ordinary, moist soil and requires very little maintenance.