Ribes nigrum aka Black Currant

Ribes nigrum, also known as blackcurrant or cassis, is a medium-sized deciduous shrub in the Grossulariaceae family. It is native to central and northern Europe and northern Asia, where it grows well in damp, fertile soil. The plant produces alternate, strongly aromatic leaves with five palmate lobes and serrated margins. In midsummer, the plant produces racemes of strigs containing up to 20 small, yellow-glanded flowers, which are mostly insect-pollinated but may also be wind-pollinated. The flowers develop into edible berries that are very dark purple, almost black, with a glossy skin and persistent calyxes. The fruit is rich in vitamin C and polyphenols and can be eaten raw or cooked in sweet or savory dishes. It is commonly used to make jams, preserves, syrups, alcoholic beverages, and dyes. Blackcurrants are grown commercially for the juice market, and an established bush can produce up to 10 pounds of fruit each year. Black Currant is also a rare houseplant that thrives in direct light and well-draining soil, requiring regular watering and no added fertilizers if repotted when it doubles in size. Cold weather during flowering may reduce the crop size, and frost can damage both open and unopened flowers if temperatures fall below -1.9°C.