Ribes cereum aka Squaw Currant

Ribes cereum, or wax currant, belongs to the currant family. This deciduous shrub grows in temperate parts of western North America. Its range spans western Canada, the western and west-central United States, and northern Baja California. It grows in dry woods, rocky slopes, canyons, and ravines. It also occurs on hillsides, prairies, and open woodland edges.

Garden plants reach about 4–6 feet (1.2–1.8 metres) tall. Oregon State gives an upper height near 6.6 feet (2 metres). Several stems form an upright shrub with many branches. Some plants have a more open crown. The stiff twigs lack thorns and turn pale gray with age. Larger stems have reddish-gray bark that peels in thin flakes. Small, pointed buds are reddish brown.

The rounded leaves have three to five shallow lobes. Rounded teeth line their edges, and some leaves feel sticky. Their upper faces range from gray-green to dark green. Fine hairs cover the paler undersides, and young leaves are fuzzy. Small tube-shaped flowers range from greenish white to pale pink. They grow alone or in small, drooping groups. Sources place flowering in April or late spring. Insects pollinate the flowers. Round berries turn orange-red to deep red as they mature. They ripen in late summer, with seed ripening reported in September.

Grow wax currant in sun with soil that drains well. It accepts sandy, loamy, or clay soils. Soil pH can range from mildly acid to mildly alkaline. It tolerates dry or moist ground. PFAF favors loam that holds some moisture without staying waterlogged. That source rates it easy to grow and hardy near −20°C. It lists USDA zones 4–8; Oregon State tentatively suggests zone 5. The flowers give it value along sunny woodland edges. Growers also raise it for fruit and use it in blackcurrant breeding. Despite reported disease resistance, it can host white pine blister rust. PFAF advises keeping it away from pine trees.

People eat the berries fresh, cooked, or dried. They also use them in jam, jelly, sauces, and pies. Reports differ on flavor, from bland to pleasant. Eating large amounts can cause nausea. PFAF also lists young leaves and raw flowers as edible. It records past medicinal uses of bark and fruit. These records do not establish safe or effective treatments.