Ribes americanum aka American Black Currant

Ribes americanum is a deciduous shrub called American black currant. Pennsylvania blackcurrant is another name used for this species. It belongs to the currant family, Grossulariaceae. Its native range spans central and eastern Canada. It also reaches the northern and central United States. Wild plants grow in rich thickets and on slopes. This is a shrub of temperate regions.

The plant grows upright to about 6 feet [1.8 metres]. Several stems rise from its crown, forming a multistemmed shrub. It loses its leaves for winter. Yellow flowers appear in spring and attract insect pollinators. Each flower has both male and female parts. Chicago Botanic Garden gives March to April as its bloom season. Plants For A Future lists April to June instead. These sources therefore report different flowering periods for the species.

The fruit is a black currant, reaching about 0.4 inches across. People eat the fruit fresh or cook it. It can go into pies, jams, jellies, and other preserves. Drying offers another way to keep the crop. Reports of its taste differ quite a bit. Some accounts value it as food or describe a fair taste. Others find it bland, watery, or musky, and prefer it cooked. Plants For A Future lists no known hazards for this species.

Grow this shrub in sun or light shade. Shade can reduce the amount of fruit it bears. It prefers moist soil that drains well but holds some water. A loam of at least fair quality suits it well. It also accepts sandy and clay soils. Its soil range spans mildly acid to mildly alkaline conditions. Chicago Botanic Garden lists USDA zones 4–7. Plants For A Future reports cold tolerance near −20°C. The shrub suits woodland edges, light shade, and food forests. It also draws birds to the garden.

White pine blister rust is an important planting concern. The shrub can host one stage of this disease. Plants For A Future advises keeping it away from pine trees. Growers can raise new plants from seeds or stem cuttings. Stored seed needs three months of cold treatment before sowing. Historical uses include root preparations for kidney and uterine complaints. Other records describe root bark treatments for worms and swellings. These are records of past use, not proof of benefit.