A 3-6' short deciduous shrub. The flowers are scented yellow. It flowers from April to May. Native to moist areas, central Sierra Nevada east to Rocky Mtns. It likes sun to part shade. It can tolerate standing in water to drought. A very tolerant plant. I've seen it growing 5 foot away from a stream in the Eastern Sierras area, covered with very good currants on it. They are about the size of blueberries, the seeds are not bad and the flavor is excellent. The berries can be either yellow, red, or purple when ripe. The flowers are well liked by the hummingbirds. Very easy to grow. Just water. This form will probably not fruit in mild climates. In very mild climates it may not come out of domancy.
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Ribes aureum var. aureum tolerates no drainage.
Ribes aureum var. aureum is great for a bird garden.
Foliage of Ribes aureum var. aureum turns a different color in the fall and is deciduous.
Flower of Ribes aureum var. aureum has color yellow.
Fruit of Ribes aureum var. aureum is edible.
Communities for Ribes aureum var. aureum:Valley Grassland, Lodgepole Forest, Riparian (rivers & creeks) and Sagebrush Scrub.