Ribes triste
Pall.
American red currant, Drooping currant, Smooth currant
(c) Dmitry Boldyrev, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
(c) Nikita Tiunov, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
(c) Vincent Laurie, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
What to Eat
Edible parts: Fruit
The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked, though its rather tart flavour makes it best suited to cooking in pies, preserves, and similar preparations. It can also be dried for later use. The berries are similar to garden red currants, around 6mm in diameter, and contain quite a large number of seeds.
Where to Find It
It is a temperate plant. It grows in moist conifer forest and near swamps and stream banks. In northern China it grows between 1,000-1,500 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zone 3.
Alaska, Arctic, Asia, Canada, China, Japan, Korea, North America, Russia, USA,
How to Identify
A shrub. It does not have thorns. It grows 1.5 m tall. The leaves turn bright red then yellow before falling off in autumn. The flowers are reddish or dull purple. They are small and 6-15 occur in drooping clusters. The flower stalks have joints. The fruit are bright red and sour.
How to Grow
Easily grown in a moisture retentive but well-drained loamy soil of at least moderate quality. Plants are quite tolerant of shade though do not fruit so well in such a position. Hardy to about -20°c. This species is closely related to R. rubrum. Plants can harbour a stage of 'white pine blister rust', so they should not be grown in the vicinity of pine trees. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus.
Propagation: Seed is best sown as soon as it is ripe in autumn in a cold frame. Stored seed requires 3 months of cold stratification at 0–5°C and should be sown as early in the year as possible. Under normal storage conditions, seed can remain viable for 17 years or more. Prick out seedlings into individual pots when large enough to handle, grow on in a cold frame through their first winter, and plant out in late spring the following year. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 10–15cm with a heel, can be taken in July or August and rooted in a frame. Cuttings of mature wood from the current year's growth, preferably with a heel of the previous year's growth, can be taken November to February in a cold frame or sheltered bed outdoors.
Medicinal Uses
A decoction of the stems without their bark can be used as a wash for sore eyes. A decoction of the root and stem has been used in the treatment of gravel. A compound decoction of the stems has been used as an emmenagogue.
Other Uses
None known.
Wikipedia
Source ↗Ribes triste, known as the northern redcurrant, swamp redcurrant, or wild redcurrant, is an Asian and North American shrub in the gooseberry family.
Notes
There are about 150 Ribes species. They have health benefits.
Names & Synonyms
Mercuulugpiit, Swamp red currant
References (16)
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- Flora of China @ efloras.org Volume 8
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- Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/
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