Red Currants and White Currants

Red Currants and White CurrantsRed Currants and White Currants (Ribes sativum) Redcurrants are naturally found in wetter places in southern England. Confusingly, white currants are actually cultivars of red currants. The insignificant flowers of both are a prolific early nectar source for bees and other pollinators. The currants have a number of culinary uses, including delicious jelly. They're high in Vitamin C too. Like Blackcurrants they are vulnerable to frost damage, so should

Red Currants and White Currants (Ribes sativum)

Redcurrants are naturally found in wetter places in southern England. Confusingly, white currants are actually cultivars of... red currants. The insignificant flowers of both are a prolific early nectar source for bees and other pollinators.

The currants have a number of culinary uses, including delicious jelly. They're high in Vitamin C too. Like Blackcurrants they are vulnerable to frost damage, so should not be planted anywhere very exposed. Avoid waterlogged sites too. Apart from that, they're very unfussy. On planting prune shoots to about half their length. I was surprised to read some varieties grow as high as 4m; not here they don't. Plant 1.5m apart.

Varieties for sale

• Redcurrant 'Laxton's No.1': fruits mid July, origin c.1914 from the eponymous nursery. Heavy reliable cropper
  
• Redcurrant 'Red Lake': compact growth, fruits late July
  
• Whitecurrant 'White Grape': delicious, heavy cropper. Also compact (to 2.5m)
  

Supplier : R.V. Roger Ltd.

Your purchase helps us support a range of charities, which are related to the products we sell.

All our red and whitecurrant bushes are bare root. At the height of the lifting season - between November and March - there may be up to two weeks delay between placing the order and dispatching due to pressure of orders, which are dealt with in date sequence, and the weather. Orders for Ribes Sativum from March to September are confirmed in late October/ early November ready for dispatch from November. Please consult our planting and care guide on receipt of your order.