Ribes sanguineum
Red Flowering Currant
Description
This upright, multibranched deciduous shrub has medium green, maple shaped leaves. The rose-red flowers appear in clusters in mid winter offering winter color for the garden, and food for hummingbirds. This shrub can tolerate some shade on the coast, and needs shade in warm inland areas. It makes a wonderful backdrop in a woodland garden, foundation shrub, or an informal hedge.
Plant Type
Shrub
Height Range
6-12'
Flower Color
Red
Flower Season
Winter, Spring, Summer
Leaf Color
Dark Green
Bark Color
Brown
Fruit Color
Black, Blue
Fruit Season
Summer
Sun
Half, Shade
Water
Low
Growth Rate
Fast, Moderate
Soil Type
Sandy, Clay, Loam
Soil Condition
Average, Well-drained, Dry
Soil pH
Neutral
Adverse Factors
n/a
Design Styles
Wild Garden, Woodland
Accenting Features
Espalier, Fragrance, Showy Flowers, Specimen
Seasonal Interest
Winter, Spring
Location Uses
Background, Shrub Border, Foundation, Patio, Walls / Fences
Special Uses
Cut Flowers, Hedge, Screen, Fire Resistant
Attracts Wildlife
Birds, Hummingbirds
Water Saving Tip:
Consider replacing some lawn areas with groundcovers, trees, and shrubs.
Good candidates for removal are portions of large lawns, areas where no one uses the grass, patches that don't grow well, or spaces too small to water without overspray.