shrub layer
blackcurrant
ribes nigrum
the most shade-tolerant of the productive soft fruits — happy in the dappled light under standard fruit trees where little else crops.
functions
field guide
native to
central and eastern Europe, northern Asia
height
1.5–2 m
spread
to 1.5 m
hardiness
RHS H6 · USDA 5–8
light
part shade
moisture
moist
soil
rich, mulched, moisture-retentive
uses
in the kitchen
berries, fresh or cooked — very high in vitamin C
harvest
berries in midsummer
propagation
hardwood cuttings in autumn strike easily
season
open the calendar →grower's notes
memberspropagation, guild role, and deeper ecology for blackcurrant — the members' view.
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relationships — grows well with
see blackcurrant on the relationship map →the takeaway
start a guild around blackcurrant
plant these together and the relationships on this page start working for you — feeders, protectors, and cover, layer by layer.
- shrub
- blackcurrant — the anchor
- canopy
- apple
- herbaceous
- comfrey (bocking 14)chives
works inside: productive shade floor
design patterns using this plant