Black Currant 'Josta'

Ribes nigrum 'Josta' | Rating: 0 votes | Print / Pdf

Ribes nigrum or Blackcurrant is widely grown both for commercial production and in domestic gardens. It's a shrub that will grow up to around 5ft in height. The leaves are lobed and serrated. Even when it is not in fruit, the plant will smell of blackcurrants. It has small white flowers and produces glossy black berries which are very tasty and a rich source of vitamin C. A mature bush can provide up to 11 pounds of berries. Prune your blackcurrant bush each year. Due to a lack of imported fruit during WWII, the UK government encouraged the growth of blackcurrants to help provide the population with a source of vitamin C. At this time, blackcurrants were grown and made into a syrup which was distributed to children free of charge. Blackcurrant flavouring remains popular in the UK to this day.

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Plant
Known dangers?
  • no
Height [m]
  • 2
Spread [m]
  • 2
Dominant flower colour
  • White
Flower Fragrance
  • Yes, let it smell
Flowering seasons
  • Mid spring
  • Late spring
Foliage in spring
  • Green
Foliage in summer
  • Green
Foliage in Autumn
  • Green
Growth habit
  • Compact
Environment
Hardiness zone
  • Z2-7
Heat zone
  • H7-1
Winter temperatures [°C]
  • -46 - -12
Heat days
  • 0 - 90
Usage
Standard category
  • Trees & shrubs
  • Shrubs
Grown for
  • Edible fruit
Creative category
  • Kid Approved
  • Fine fragrants
  • For birds & bees
Gardening expertise
  • intermediate
Time to reach full size
  • up to 10 years
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