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Currants and Gooseberries native to California


Ribes aureum gracillimum, Golden Currant

This Golden currant forms a small thicket about 6 ft wide and 3-6ft tall. It has very straight branches an lots of yellow flowers and small shiny green leaves. The yellow flowers are popular with hummingbirds. It has yellow berries that turn black as they ripen. They are quite tasty, but you have to pick a lot of them. The berries are also a favorite of the California Thrasher as well as many other berry eating birds. It makes a neat, clean bush without any sticky leaves or spines, They grow in Southern Oak Woodland along the coast ranges from Alameda to Riverside county.

A short movie about Golden Currant. The regular aureum looks very similar to this in the high desert Juniper woodland washes., but it seldom flowers here.

You're not the only one that can't pronounce nor spell the botanic names. Just try to remember the first three letters, then you can look them up.




Ribes indecorum, White-flowered currant

This is probably the most drought tolerant Ribes in California. (Except maybe R. aureum) It grows in the chaparral and Coastal sage scrub throughout southern and central California. It grows around our San Luis Obispo Nursery site. This is a very harsh environment in the summer, very dry and very hot 115 degrees F. It survives it by going summer deciduous.

It comes out of dormancy after the first rain and has flowers by February.

White-flowered currant has reddish-brown bark that contrasts with its clean white flowers.


The berries start out red and turn nearly black by the time they ripen. They are enjoyed by many birds. In a sunny area it may grow about 6 ft tall and 4 ft wide, making excellent cover for the birds. In the shade it forms a more open bush. It does great without water, under oaks!

Ribes menziesii, Canyon Gooseberry, with its distinctive purple-red-white flowers and lobed leaves.  - grid24_12
The flowers are medium sized and used by bumblebees and hummingbirds. So, how do we know? We've had one plant in the ground for 30 plus years and it's still doing fine.
Ribes menziesii, Canyon Gooseberry. Currants and gooseberries, such as this Canyon Gooseberry, Ribes menziesii, lend themselves well to shade gardens.  - grid24_12
You'll find Canyon Gooseberry in the north slopes and bottom of canyons. Great on the north side of buildings in the canyons of modern cities.

Ribes nevadense, Sierra Current closeup - grid24_12
The flowers are really cool when you take the time to look.
Ribes nevadense berries - grid24_12
The fruits are sweet and and in clusters.


Ribes sanguineum glutinosum, Pink-Flowered Currant flowers - grid24_12
Ribes sanguineum glutinosum, Pink-Flowered Currant has showy flowers.
Ribes sanguineum var. glutinosum, Pink-Flowering Currant, is one of the showiest wild currants, with its pendulous clusters of reddish-pink flowers.  - grid24_12
Ribes sanguineum var. glutinosum, Pink-Flowering Currant, is one of the showiest wild currants, with its pendulous clusters of reddish-pink flowers.


Ribes speciosum, Fuchsia Flowered Gooseberry, flowering and growing here in beach sand in Nipomo, California.  - grid24_12
Ribes speciosum, Fuchsia Flowered Gooseberry, flowering and growing here in beach sand in Nipomo, California.
Ribes speciosum Fuchsia-Flowering Gooseberry. with an Anna's hummingbird - grid24_12
Ribes speciosum Fuchsia-Flowering Gooseberry. with an Anna's hummingbird

Evergreen  currant  or Catalina perfume  flowers. - grid24_12
Evergreen currant or Catalina perfume flowers
Ribes viburnifolium, Evergreen Currant in gallon pot - grid24_12
Evergreen Currant, Catalina Perfume, tolerates part sun, full shade, clay, and deer. The currant is heavily scented like a cheap wine.

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Copyright 1992-2014 Las Pilitas Nursery
Edited on Aug 16, 2012. Authors:
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