Ribes glaciale

Ribes glaciale is a deciduous shrub in the currant family, Grossulariaceae. It grows in temperate parts of Asia. Kew places its native range from northern Pakistan across China to northern Myanmar. Other records include Bhutan, Nepal, and parts of northern India. It is not native to Britain or Ireland. Its wild homes include forests, thickets, and rocky mountain slopes.

The shrub reaches about 10 feet [3 metres] tall. It loses its leaves each year. Habitat records place it in mountain valleys as well as slopes. Reported elevations span about 6,230–14,440 feet [1,900–4,400 metres]. These records describe a plant of upland woods and scrub. The supplied sources give no species-level details of bark or leaf shape. They also give no mature spread for garden plants.

Flowers appear from April to June, and insects pollinate them. Each plant bears either male or female flowers. A single plant cannot set seed on its own. Grow both sexes if fruit and seed are the aim. Seeds ripen from July to August. The red fruit measures about a quarter-inch [7 millimetres] across. Ripe fruit is edible raw or cooked, but tastes very sour. Plants For A Future gives it an edible-use score of two out of five.

Grow this shrub in moist soil that drains well. The species entry lists sandy, loamy, and clay soils as suitable. It also lists mildly acid, neutral, and mildly alkaline conditions. It accepts sun or partial shade. Suggested garden settings include woodland edges and sites with dappled shade. Its red fruit offers an edible crop in these settings. British hardiness remains uncertain in the source. No firm hardiness zone is given, so its mountain origin does not establish a garden limit.

Plants For A Future describes propagation by seed and cuttings. Stored seed needs four to five months of cold treatment. Young seedlings spend their first winter in a cold frame. They can go outdoors in late spring the next year. The source also lists summer cuttings from partly ripened shoots. It records no known medicinal or other uses. It lists no known hazards and does not flag weed potential. This does not establish safety for pets. The supplied evidence gives no confirmed species-specific pest or disease problems.