SPRING-flowering shrubs are appearing in the garden, swollen buds bursting into flower and fresh leaves covering stem and branch. Among them is the flowering currant, Ribes sanguineum, which originated from western North America and was introduced to Britain by plant hunter David Douglas in 1826.
This easy-to-grow deciduous plant is popular for spring colour, with a small specimen quickly growing into a large shrub, whose bare branches are covered in drooping clusters of pink flowers rapidly joined by soft bright-green leaves and followed by black fruit.
Several varieties have been developed from the species, they are often brighter coloured and a better choice for the ornamental garden.
'Brocklebankii', for example, has bright golden-yellow leaves and reddish pink flowers and, unlike other varieties, keeps its colour through the summer, even in shade. It is slower growing but will still get to around 1.5m high with a similar spread.
'King Edward VII' with large racemes of deep red flowers is more compact and a good choice where space is limited, while 'Pulborough Scarlet' is tall, growing up to 3m, with white-centred red flowers.
As well as the usual pink and red flowered flowering currants, there are also white-flowered varieties including 'Albescens' with pink-flushed blooms, 'Tydeman's White' with pinkish buds and long trusses of silver-white flowers, and 'White Icicle', with large white flowers flushed pink as they mature.
The flowering currants are perhaps the best known shrubs of the Ribes family but there are other equally garden-worthy members, including Ribes odoratum, or Buffalo currant, from central North America.
This deciduous upright, open shrub has glossy, bright green leaves and short clusters of fragrant, clove-scented golden yellow flowers from mid spring onwards. Dark purple fruit sometimes follows the flowers and the leaves turn red and purple in autumn.
Ribes speciosum is from California and has two common names, flowering gooseberry and fuchsia-flowered currant. It is a red-flowered, bushy and spiny shrub that grows to about 2m in height and spread, bearing slender, drooping tubular blooms with long red stamens in mid to late spring.
The young shoots are red, contrasting with bright green young foliage and it does best grown as a free-standing specimen in a sheltered spot or trained against a south or west facing wall.
Ribes will tolerate almost all types of soil, except those that become excessively wet or dry. Most prefer sun where their colour will be brighter, but will also cope with light shade.
Shoots that have bloomed can be cut back after flowering, as can some of the old wood. This will keep the shrub in shape and encourage the production of new shoots. New plants can be propagated by taking semi-ripe cuttings in summer or hardwood cuttings in autumn. Plant the latter in open ground and the former in a cold frame.
Updated: 08:37 Saturday, March 15, 2003
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