Ribes gordonianum - Gordon's Currant

The Ribes gordonianum, known as Gordon's Currant,  is a hybrid obtained by cross-breeding Ribes sanguineum and Ribes odoratum. It is a sprawling, bushy, original, and easy to grow bush, but still rare in our gardens. It offers magenta buds that lead to spring flowering in coppery clusters formed of tubular red flowers with a cream or peach throat,giving off a sweet carnation fragrance. The dark green and deciduous foliage is also aromatic.

The Gordon's Flowering Currant belongs to the Grossulariaceae family. The west  and central plains of the United States are the cradles of its two parents. It will reach 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) in height and spread over 1 m (3 ft 4 in), for rapid growth. This flowering currant is a deciduous bush that has an upright and bushy habit, with a sprawling tendency. After the leaves have budded in April-May, pendulous racemes of small, tubular, magenta red blooms mixed with peach and marked with cream at the throat, appear. They are nectar-producing and measure about 8 cm (3.1 in). This fragrant  and so welcome spring flowering follows that of the Ribes sanguineum. This plant produces small black berries which the birds love. Its dark green, round to ovate, 5 to 10 cm (2 to 3.9 in) long leaves have 3 to 5 shallow irregularly dentate lobes and give off a delicious fragrance.

Plant the Ribes gordonianum in ordinary, deep, rich, cool to dry soil, without too much lime. This bush will thrive in semi-shade or sun, but not in a scorching exposure. Once established, it will tolerate drought relatively well. The start of growth is often late in the first spring. When planting, do not shy from burying part of the base to promote good rooting. Pruning is not necessary except to remove dead wood or correct a somewhat sparse appearance. The branches should be cut back by a third of their length after flowering.

Maintenance pruning: if you simply want to maintain shape, just remove any weak or overly arched branches and dead wood. Rejuvenation pruning: for plants that have become too cumbersome or have lost their bushy shape (base thinning, sparse branches), it is advisable to cut the branches to 50 cm (19.7 in) from the ground. You can perform both all at once (strict pruning, for older subjects) or over 3 years (then only a third of the branches are pruned each year, making sure a balanced look of the bush is maintained). The bush will then form new shoots.

Gordon's Currant will find its place in all gardens, in a free hedge, shrub bed, or even as a stand-alone. It has a strong presence when grown in a pot. You can include it among a spring display with lilacs, buddleias, the Mexican Orange, the Syringa microphylla 'Superba', the Exochorda racemosa 'The Bride' or even the 'Hollandia' broom. Planted in groups of three or four mixed together, the Flowering Currants produce an extraordinary effect, particularly at the back of perennial beds. Finally, to fully enjoy its flowers and fragrance, you can cut budding branches that will bloom in the home.