Ribes aureum aka Golden Currant

Ribes aureum is a shrub in the currant family. It sheds its leaves each year. People call it golden currant or buffalo currant. It grows wild in western Canada and the western United States. Its range extends south to California and Texas. It grows on prairies and at forest edges. It also grows along streams and on mountain slopes. Plants have escaped gardens in the eastern United States too.

Garden plants reach 3–8 feet (0.9–2.4 metres) tall. Their width is a little less than their height, or about equal. Several upright stems give the shrub a broad shape. Suckers grow outward and can form groups of plants. The stiff stems are pinkish-gray and have no spines. They bear pointed, reddish-brown buds. The dark, silvery-gray bark has raised pores called lenticels. Leaves grow in turn along the stems, not in pairs. They have three lobes, or sometimes five. A few coarse teeth line their edges. The thick leaves look shiny above and paler below. They can turn red in fall before they drop.

Small flowers shaped like tubes hang in groups. They bloom during April and May, just after leaves unfold. Yellow blooms can turn orange or red with age. Their scent has a hint of cloves. The shrub draws birds, including hummingbirds, as well as butterflies. Round berries ripen from mid-summer into late summer. They may be yellow, orange, red, or purple-black. You can eat the fruit fresh, cooked, or dried. It also suits jelly, sauces, and pies. The flowers taste sweet, and you can eat them raw. Plants For A Future reports no known hazards.

Give this shrub sun and rich soil that drains well. It accepts some shade, but shade can reduce flowers and fruit. Shade in the afternoon helps where summers are hot. Soil that stays moist suits it best. Yet it copes with drought, poor soil, and clay. It also copes with brief floods at certain times of year. Sources place its hardiness in USDA zones 4–8. Oregon State also cites zone 3. Mulch helps protect the roots; avoid watering over the leaves. You can grow new plants from seed or cuttings.

Use golden currant for hedges or at woodland edges. It also suits plantings meant to draw wildlife. Flowers, fruit, and fall leaves add interest through the seasons. It tolerates rabbits and helps keep soil from washing away. Damp, humid weather can bring anthracnose and mildew. Fungi can also cause leaf spots. Aphids, scale, bud mites, and fruit flies may cause trouble. Currants can host white pine blister rust. This disease threatens white pines. Some places limit planting, so check local rules first.