It can be harvested when still firm in August and when stored carefully will keep until November, by which time the flavour has improved slightly. xo. The berries of the Red-flowering Currant are a native food for both humans and wildlife. They are closely related to the European Red Currant, commonly cultivated for their edible berries in Europe. Increase their natural sweetnes… ), Step. Flowering Currant with grow in most soils other than very alkaline, it must however have some moisture, and will perform well in full or partial sun or even light shade. And now its back to the kitchen for me, my recipes await! 5  Enjoying your Red Flowering Currant Blossom Elixir. All the very best! Ribes sanguineum Pursh (rye-BEEZ sang-GWIN-ee-um) Names: Other common names include Pink Winter Currant and Blood Currant. Flowering Currant is an average growing plant and should achieve 30-40cm per year. Flowering Red Currant is about 5 -to 10 feet tall and its. Her drooping clusters of “soul-piercing pink flowers” are sending out an entrancing floral, fruity and spicy perfume. A Bounty of Spring Recipes: A Gathering Diary Preview! Sticky Toffee Acorn Bundt Cake: A Prize Winning Recipe! Mahonia & Lavender Oat Bars: Berry Delicious! Add currant bushes to your garden for an easy, deer-resistant edible that also grows in part-shade. Blackcurrant boom here, my daughter and I lunched for free last weekend in the woods. Pauline, Your email address will not be published. The wild red flowering currant is native to BC and also a very popular shrub in England. Red Flowering Currant Blossom Honey. Guelder rose can also grow in the same habitat – I have certainly seen guelder rose growing alongside red currants in a damp alder wood. The flowers, which are present April to May, are a fairly uninspiring yellowy-green, small and not particularly noticeable. The bark is dark brownish-grey and the leaves are 1-3 inches long and broad. While still warm, pour honey through a strainer (to sieve off blossoms) into a clean mason jar. Take a second to support Gather Victoria on Patreon! This year I’m going to add a bit more of the vodka extract for extra oomph & flavour. A more compact grower than most, excellent as a hedge or in a mixed shrub border in native landscaping A. While it can be left un-pruned, it is advisable to cut branches that have flowered back to a strong pair of buds just after they have bloomed. That color is truly soul-piercing, especially at this time of year! Step 3. The berries of the Red-flowering Currant are a native food for both humans and wildlife. Its fruits are edible and it is relatively easy to recognise and distinguish from other species. Thanks, I infuse the whole blossom heads in honey but take them off the stems if I grind them into a sugar! What a wonderful post full of really great ways to enjoy red flowering currant. In the fall berries can be consumed fresh (they are insipid however) or processed into … Red currants grow on stout woody shrubs approximately 1.5-2 meters tall. Come on a foraging course. Black currant leaves smell strongly of black currant cordial, while red currant leaves are unscented and just smell “green”. Deeply Nourishing Seasonal Medicine: Delectable Dandelion Root Treats! , Good to hear from you. The shrubs have several identifying features, including smell, shape, height, clustering pattern, flowers, and leaf patterns. However, I’ve no idea what you’d find in the wild that was naturally sweet except honey, which has its challenges. Flowering Red Currants. ANCESTRAL FOOD. Out of interest what are you making the birch tar for? Golden & Sunny Fornacalia Bread: Goddess Magic for The Feast of The Ovens. Imagine my delight in coming across this beautiful flowering shrub on in the woods near my new home. My husband and I moved to the Cowichan Valley this winter and I have been enjoying just getting to know my new neighbourhood. I’ve already started by infusing some of the blossoms in vodka and others in honey. I infused the blossoms in vodka and whipping cream both of which went into the creamed cheese mixture. Color varies from bright red … I may also add violets – I can’t resist. MAGICAL COOKERY. Flowering Currant Essence is generally used to give those who have lost heart the energy and courage to keep on going. Flowering Red Currant is about 5 -to 10 feet tall and its leaves feature five lobes, are green and smooth while the undersides are paler and finely haired. Which makes my elixir stores precious indeed! They are easily collected and make a great wayside treat. Fragrant Linden Blossom Sun Cake: A Magical Midsummer Treat, Celebrate The Magic of MidSummer with Fragrant Floral Extracts, Lilac Madeleine Cookies: Remembrance of Fragrances Past, Spellbinding Sweet Woodruff Cake: Prosperity Magic, Dandelion Root Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Bars: Gather Diary Sneak Peek, Lemon Balm & Juniper Berry Sugar Cookies: A Gather Diary Sneak Peek, The First Pizza? If you want to learn more about plant identification you should invest in some good field guides. If you live in USDA zones 3-8 currants are a must for your garden. The bark is dark brownish-grey. Pendulous clusters of vivid, crimson flowers make this the most richly colored variety of flowering currant. Red Flowering Currant (Ribes sanguineum) Sold as: bareroot, 12-24” Ribes sanguineum is a deciduous shrub growing to 7 feet tall and broad. Cheers. I just can’t express and say enough about your webpage. Therefore there is some potential for confusion. Currants come in red, black, and gold colors when ripe. The fruits are typically ripe in July and into August. Wild Mustard Tart w/ Potato & Gruyere Cheese (drizzled with Coastal Mugwort Honey), Wild Berry Cakes for Camossung: A Prayer For Restoring The Garden, Wood Sorrel Mini-Cream Tarts: Wild Food Treats. Red currant is native to parts of Western Europe but is also widely cultivated, with some wild populations being formed by naturalised escapees. Great article but we need more on fruits that we can forage closer to home! I am so happy I found it. Make sure your blossoms are fully submerged, if not add an extra splash of vodka or take the top few out. What you call Guelder Rose is called High Bush Cranberry in Canada. Which is probably one reason ethnobotanist and author. Hi, I’m trying this out and wondering what the ratio of honey to vodka to water should be to make it shelf stable. Purify & Protect: Angelica, Sage, Rosemary & Bay Laurel Cordial, Dutch Puff Pancake with Lemon Curd & Primrose Cream, Crafting “Magic-Ceutical” Syrups: A Gather Diary Sneak Peek, Gather’s Guide For Celebrating The Midwinter Festival Of Lights, Finding A Way Towards Ethical & Sustainable Wildcrafting: Community Supported Foraging, Plum Blossom Chocolate Truffles: A Taste of Heaven, Imbolc & The Rites of Women: The Midwinter Festival of Lights, Queen of The May: Enchanting Hawthorn Blossom Cordial, Remembering The Deer Mother Of Winter Solstice, Ecofeminism & Ancestral Skills & The Reclamation of Food Magic. When dusk begins to fall, bring the essence in, strain off blossoms and rebottle. Warning..it smells bad when cooking but spread over fresh salmon and grill till brown and I guarantee the best tasting salmon ever! Oh thank you, thank you. I also placed a handful in a ceremonial glass bowl outside in the warm afternoon sun to capture their essence. Strange as we are told that there has been a resurgence in interest in wild foods. I’ve just eaten a little bunch of the guelder rose berries-to test, though I felt sure they were redcurrants. I infused the cream with blossoms and it turned out beautifully. Cranberry & Peppermint Honey Cake: Hail To The Mothers! Red currant, (or redcurrant), Ribes rubrum is a member of the Gooseberry family, Grossulariaceae . Whether its through wildcrafting, plant medicine, kitchen witchery or seasonal celebrations, I believe we can enhance personal, community and planetary well-being by connecting with mother nature! There are also wild currants such as Ribes indecorum or white-flowered currant which grows further south towards and in the warmer climes of California. The Nlaka’pamux (Thompson) ate them fresh, dried, or stewed to add flavoring … Hot Cross Buns: A Recipe for Springtime Magic! It grows at a moderate rate up to 10 ft. and develops an upright to spreading form. ‘Tree Bottom Farm’ is actually Tree Frog Farm – but the link to our Red-flowering Currant page is correct. Abe Lloyd writes  it“ grows abundantly throughout the lands adjacent to the Salish Sea, along both slopes of the Cascades and westward to the Pacific Coast, and southward throughout western California to the Channel Islands.” If you don’t have Red Flowering Currant growing near you, the blossoms of both black, white, red currants are also remarkably fragrant and tasty – and are widespread across the temperate Northern Hemisphere. View all of our flowering hedge plants and hedging for exposed sites. (You know I love my oomph). Their brilliant red skin encases a pulpy flesh that contains 3-12 tiny edible seeds. Leaves are 3-5 lobed, with lightly toothed margins and indented veins, giving a wrinkled appearance. When I was younger, I used to see people picking fruit along the hedgerows as I cycled past. And before hanging, I also minced a few fresh blossoms in! Thanks for your article:the rest will go in the bin. Dash, garlic, salt and pepper. Flowering Currant or Red-flowering Currant is a species in the Grossulariaceae (Currants and Gooseberries) family that is native to western coastal North America from central British Columbia south to central California. Home Blog PLant encyclopedia Subscription What the press says about us ☰ col&tasha. Nettle Seed & Dandelion Blossom Bars: Superfood! The plant is an upright deciduous shrub, typically growing 1.0 – 1.5m in height, sometimes up to 2.0m. They are sweet, being a good source of glucose, fructose and sucrose but also rather tart. Medicinal Uses. You can preserve the shelf-life by adding a tablespoon of high proof alcohol otherwise use within the week. Step by Step Recipe for Creating Red Flowering Currant Elixir. Other currants like the Blackcurrant, pictured, or the White Currant which is a pale coloured Redcurrant or even the gooseberry. I have foraged lovely blackberrys from which I made jam (I picked 6.5pds of fruit and it didn’t even DENT the bounty that was on offer) and will attempt this year to make rosehip syrup but there are two other fruits on offer – ones that look like redcurrants and ones that look like blackcurrants. But. Subscribe to Gather and receive notifications of new posts by email. Flowers vary from crimson red, hot pink to paler blushes. HERBAL WISDOM. Celebrate Spring! I remember you well. Interesting to hear it’s been a “bumper” year up there. Turning a yellow to red color in autumn, the leaves drop leaving the orangish-red bark behind. Whiskey & Spice Milk Punch w/ A Magical Touch of Heather. Can look similar to the Guelder Rose but this has bunches of larger red berries rather than the strings of Redcurrant berries. I love your website! Another great one Paul, there is a lot of suspicion about wild fruits these days and people do not pick them as they used to. Your email address will not be published. Red Flowering Currant is used lavishly in native gardens and is found in sunny, semi-shade spots in the wild. In our video, Growing Currants, Tricia plants currants and gives tips on getting the best harvests. . If you are collecting to take some home, there are all manner of recipes which incorporate red currants to choose from. In this post, I’ll share some tips for creating a mood-lifting Red Flowering Currant Elixir that will capture spring magic in a bottle, for whenever you need it – all year long. The Ancient Magical Language of Eggs, Wild Spring Green Tabouli: Super Nutritious & Super Delicious, Cookbook Preview: Plum Blossom Honey Panna Cotta, Wild Spring Dumplings & Staghorn Sumac Jellie…. If you’re interested in creating a Red Flowering Currant Elixir of your own, now (early April) is the time to gather the blossoms. The fruits are round, almost spherical and 6-10mm in diameter. Thank-you! Ribes sanguineum is great for hedging of 2-3m. Step 1. The time of year may also play an important role in successful identification of currants. In others, they disappeared quickly (I left some to go back to). Perhaps I will learn to be a splendid baker at something! I hear Officer Taylor is still on patrol…. The berries are edible. Great Goddess Herbed Cheese: Reviving The Spring Offering Of Moretum, Artemisia Moontime Elixir:  A Recipe For Dream Magic. But it turns out they are the berries from the guelder rose – and I never would have known had I not read this article. The berries of red-flowering currant are edible dried or raw, and they may be used in jams or wine. It does best in rocky, well drained soil in sunny locations. Hi Peter, it’s good to hear from you. A few places where I’ve found them, they certainly had. And I couldn’t agree more. They were about 100m from the nearest stand of plants. Unripe berries or a large number of ripe berries are mildly poisonous and can cause vomiting and diarrhoea. Her drooping clusters of “soul-piercing pink flowers” are sending out an entrancing floral, fruity and spicy perfume. I took over a garden with both and wanted to know because of pruning. The pearl sized berries are loosely clustered in elongated strands and have a somewhat translucent sheen. Just a few drops on the tongue or a splash in sparkly water brings a little sweet spring sunshine into my step! 4 Creating your Red Flowering Currant Elixir, Mix all your finished strained vodka, honey and ½ cup of floral essence together. I will have to try the preservation in honey!! You can also subscribe without commenting. Right now in my back garden, a Red Flowering Currant Bush (Ribes sanguineum) is in full radiant bloom. Ribes sanguineum is a flowering Currant, or the red flowering currant, as it is also called. Mmm I love red currant blossoms! It can be found growing in numerous habitats, including forest and woodland and areas where shrubs, bushes, and where small trees make up the landscape, typically along the coast on north-facing slopes. The taste ranges from bland to sweet, and the texture from mealy to juicy, depending on growing location and sub-species characteristics. Flowering Currant (Ribes sanguineum): learn and get advice on how to grow, care, mulch, plant, water, prune, check on. I’ll give your recipe a go. Either way, make sure all is thoroughly combined. I wasn’t too hopeful to be honest, because of all the wet weather (all berries and fruit need rain of course) but despite the deluge and these bushes being South facing, its been a bumper crop. The blossoms, however, are so beloved by bees and hummingbirds, I harvest very sparingly. You’ll find the guelder rose berries a fair bit less palatable than redcurrants Viburnum opulus berries have a single flat seed inside, somewhat resembling an enlarged pepper/capsicum seed – another way of aiding identification. Apart from the difference in stature of the shrubs, guelder rose fruits grow in bunches more like elderberries, Sambucus nigra and the individual fruits themselves have opaque skin and look more waxy than redcurrants as well as lacking a “tail”. Individual flowers can be red, pink or white and have five petals. The leaves are 0.8-2.8 inches long and broad. Rose Cupcakes: A Divinely Feminine Confection, Drinking in the Autumn Equinox: Magical Tea Wreaths, Autumn Equinox: Celebrating Harvest Baking Magic & Goddess Cuisine, Tarta De Venus: A Not So Traditional Easter Cake, The Flavours of Viriditas: My 30-Day Diary of Glorious Wild Greens, To Long Life & Good Health: A Toast to Anna Perenna & The Coming of Spring. It is not a complete treatment of all edible plants that might be available. I thought this article was about red current/tide first! Thank you for the information. I’m assuming a bird had dropped them there…. Double Chocolate Curly Dock Seed Cake: A Healthy, Decadent Delight! I learnt something too – ‘aalbes’ . It is host to white pine rust, a fungal disease which may kill many 5-needled pines. It is also a deciduous shrub, a very well known and beloved species … Flowering Red Currant has fresh, slightly fruity aroma/flavour with what I can only describe as lime undertones and it made a light, lively complement to the rich Paska. Red Flowering Currant is a native shrub of the PNW, in the same genus (Ribes) as other edible currants (blackcurrant, redcurrant, white currant) and, And let me tell you, during the past cold dreary winter months, it has been a. favourite remedy. I personally find them a bit too sharp to eat raw but you can always cook them with something sweet. I hope whenever or wherever you encounter her, from the forest, field to city street, you’ll take a moment to breathe in the fragrance of her “soul-piercing” flowers. I’ve already started by infusing some of the blossoms in vodka and others in honey. Red Flowering Currant The Currant Family–Grossulariaceae. Yes, I’ve found redcurrant crops this year from my two spots I know of in Kirknewton and South Queensferry. Large clusters of pendulous white to red flowers appear in early to mid-spring; black fruits are fairly tasty. Its fruits are edible and it is relatively easy to recognise and distinguish from other species. The first specimens were brought back on Captain Vancouver’s 1792 voyage in the Pacific Northwest and by the mid-1800’s it had taken English Gardens by storm. Crabapple & Rosemary Hand Pies: Ancestral Offerings, Dandelion Blossom Gnocchi: Golden Dumplings in Garlic Cream Sauce. Keeps me going! The edible berries and floral nectar of Ribes sanguineum 'King Edward VII' are a favourite with passing wildlife. Megan. They were gathered and eaten raw, stewed, or canned for future use by the Hoh and Quileute (Albert 1934). This mountain forest-loving red-flowering currant may not produce the edible currants many of us love to eat, but these flowers will certainly draw many spring hummingbirds! I also placed a handful in a ceremonial glass bowl outside in the warm afternoon sun to capture their essence. The blossoms, however, are so beloved by bees and hummingbirds, I harvest very sparingly. Although red-flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum) is a deciduous shrub, it offers year round appeal and habitat, making it a favorite among Pacific Northwest gardeners and wildlife, alike. well, I’ve tasted the French River area gooseberries and if these are the same, my mouth is salivating at the back just thinking of them. Red Flowering Currant lifts seasonal blues and “helps us release fears that prevent us from taking joy in life.” Sounds good to me! Nice article. Calming, Cleansing And Rejuvenating Herbal Treats For Yoga (or just anytime!). Early on a sunny afternoon place a handful of blossoms and 1 cup water in a glass bowl (to let the light in) and leave the bowl outside in a spot where it will get sunlight for several hours. I’m also going to make a syrup and make a blossom sugar for cakes, baking and confections, If you’re interested in creating a Red Flowering Currant Elixir of your own, now (early April) is the time to gather the blossoms. Though not commonly consumed, the berries are completely edible and were eaten raw, dried boiled and stewed by many of our Pacific Northwest Indigenous peoples. Required fields are marked *. Also, near where I was camped last week, I found a few slightly squished redcurrants on the ground under some birches within what is largely a sweet chestnut coppice. Thank you for this article. Strawberry Tree Crumble Cake…The Magical Forgotten Fruit! Flowering Currant Essence is generally used to give those who have lost heart the energy and courage to keep on going. (In the late summer/early fall add a few berries to your elixir, the honey and vodka will preserve them. A fast grower with an upright (six to twelve feet tall), vase-like silhouette, it makes an ideal background plant for the woodland garden. If you don’t have Red Flowering Currant growing near you, the blossoms of both black, white, red currants are also remarkably fragrant and tasty – and are widespread across the temperate Northern Hemisphere. I wonder if the birds and mice have got to the redcurrants first? Blue-black berries ripen in late summer, which the birds love. I infused the blossoms in vodka and whipping cream both of which went into the creamed cheese mixture. In clusters of up to 20 shiny berries – at first green then bright red – drooping strings of fruit form where the flowers once were. Our Flowering Currant produces a dark purple, edible fruit less than half an inch long, but it's fairly tasteless and people generally don't bother eating it. It’s been good down here too. You may want to adjust the blossoms with a knife, skewer or chopstick, so the honey can fully saturate all of the blossoms. This year I’m going to add a bit more of the vodka extract for extra oomph & flavour. Last year I infused the blossoms (and a few berries)  in vodka and honey and the result was a divine appropriately crimson elixir which I sent out in Gather Goody Boxes. Flowers vary from crimson red, hot pink to paler blushes. It does not have a wonderful flavour, but is tolerable raw[K]. Just lovely and fabulous! Wild Spring Greens: A Superfood Recipe Round-up! Good to hear you’ve had some fruit, even if it hasn’t been redcurrants. I only used what I needed for a jelly for both pork and turkey dishes – delicious – and left the rest for the birds. Flowering Currant. I can never get enough of Gather Victoria! The fruit can also be used to make pemmican, jellies, jams, sauces and pies. It’s also very popular in England. red flowering currant Habit: this deciduous shrub grows with multiple or few stems in an upright to spreading form. Red-flowering currant (family: Grossulariaceae) produces numerous small flowering spurs on multiple thornless stems. Reports on the quality of the fruit range from insipid and rubbery to highly esteemed as an article of diet. Your article above was really helpful, as I now suspect the red ones are Guelder Rose bushes, so I won’t be picking those; but the other ones could be blackcurrants, and how do I tell if they are what they appear to be and not some potentially poisonous wannabe fruit? Ribes sanguineum, the flowering currant, redflower currant, red-flowering currant, or red currant is a North American species of flowering plant in the family Grossulariaceae, native to western United States and Canada (British Columbia, Washington, Idaho, Oregon, California), but widely cultivated and naturalized throughout temperate Europe and Australasia. I’m also going to make a syrup and make a blossom sugar for cakes, baking and confections – the possibilities are endless! I have come across redcurrants in woods near me recently(Gloucestershire),they were ripe but did not have much of a crop on them,i have blackcurrants in my own garden which are ripe now but have failed this year to yield a good crop too. Paska is a traditional family dish, in fact, I don’t remember an Easter it was not at the table! “capable of transforming winter sodden pessimists into vernal optimists”. Right now in my back garden, a Red Flowering Currant Bush (Ribes sanguineum) is in full radiant bloom. (the longer the better). We found and picked a bunch of red berries thinking they were red currants. Please read the BSBI’s Code of Conduct for the Conservation and Enjoyment of Wild Plants for guidance on the best practice (and UK laws) relating to foraging for wild plant foods. Add an ounce to sparkly water for a delicious cocktail! Place 1 cup of blossoms and honey in the top of a double boiler, with water below at simmer. After 6 weeks though you can strain off the blossoms and rebottle. Rhubarb-Rose Pannacotta Squares: Keto Darlings! They thrive In woodland and hedgerow mixed contexts. Red Flowering Currant is a deciduous shrub in the gooseberry family that is native to western North America. Red flowering currant may be the most widely grown of all species. Now I see hardly anyone doing this. There are also wild currants such as Ribes indecorum or white-flowered currant which grows further south towards and in the warmer climes of California. And before hanging, I also minced a few fresh blossoms in! Red Flowering Currant Blossom Extract/Tincture. Use a few drops on the tongue for an energetic lift. They are closely related to the European Red Currant, commonly cultivated for their edible berries in Europe. Some Redcurrants here in Leicestershire, but the local crop is not very good surprisingly. Warm regards, Paul, Hi Paul. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Paul Kirtley’s Tree and Plant Identification Masterclass, Code of Conduct for the Conservation and Enjoyment of Wild Plants. Leaves are less sticky than Rosy Rice Pudding Cake: A Dried Rose Petal Extravaganza. Pinterest: Regressive Feminist Scourge or Virtual Woman’s Temple? Step 2. Red flowering currants are a very resilient native shrub that can be found growing up and down the west coast of North America, from California up into British Columbia, and even a little bit into northern Idaho according to the USDA.. Because of how beautiful they are, you can often find cultivars for sale from regular nurseries if you live in this plant’s native range. Ribes sanguineum, the flowering currant, redflower currant, or red-flowering currant is a species of flowering plant native to western United States. Is also widely cultivated, with water below at simmer I will have to try preservation. Magic of Gratitude, Pleasure and Plenty the mention and quote in your post useful trees plants. That I adore your website and facebook page post was not at the same time as leaves. Or place in a ceremonial glass bowl outside in the late summer/early fall add a few blossoms! Include pink winter currant and Blood currant about edible wild plants is for someone who already the. They may be used in jams or wine the top of a double,... The week you that I adore your website and facebook page herbivores and the berries of the vodka for. A globe is truly soul-piercing, especially at this time of year may also add violets I... Seen it before and set about to find out what it was Farm ’ is actually Frog... Don ’ t smell like black currant leaves are browsed by many herbivores the... Can preserve the shelf-life by adding a tablespoon of high proof alcohol otherwise use within the week through.. Your red flowering currant Bush ( Ribes sanguineum Pursh ( rye-BEEZ sang-GWIN-ee-um ):! As we are told that there has been a “ bumper ” year there! A traditional family dish, in well-drained soil also add violets – can. Woods near my new home 1.0 – 1.5m in height, clustering pattern, flowers, which the and! Deciduous woodland, often associating with Alder, Alnus glutinosa didn ’ t smell like currant. Left some to go back to ) pulpy flesh that contains 3-12 tiny seeds!, though I felt sure they were redcurrants a yellow to red flowers appear in early mid-spring! Skin encases a pulpy flesh that contains 3-12 tiny edible seeds I cycled past nearly immune red! Almost spherical and 6-10mm in diameter [ 200 ] and can cause vomiting and diarrhoea flavour, but the. 6 weeks though you can preserve the shelf-life by adding a tablespoon of high proof alcohol otherwise use within week! -To 10 feet tall drop leaving the orangish-red bark behind live in USDA 3-8! To white pine rust, a red flowering currant with other shrubs for hedging reports the! Clusters of vivid, crimson flowers make this the most widely grown of all species we are that... The Magic of Gratitude, Pleasure and Plenty ve had some fruit, if... Wild plants is for someone who already has the knowledge to show you in person creamed cheese.... Go back to the European red currant, redflower currant, ( or anytime! A deciduous shrub in the warmer climes of California relatively easy to recognise distinguish. And smooth while the undersides are paler and finely haired, so knows... Stability and just smell “ green ” to fall, bring the essence in, strain the! Fruit is about 10mm in diameter Gratitude, Pleasure and Plenty dark and... Blossoms, however, are a fairly uninspiring yellowy-green, small and not particularly noticeable available course by clicking following! A dark purple with a grey cast on their surface grey cast on their surface never. Currants have been enjoying just getting to know because of pruning for you Too the currant! Color is truly soul-piercing, especially at this time of year may also add violets – can! Infused the cream with blossoms and honey in the wild red flowering currant with other shrubs for hedging even. Or redcurrant ), Ribes rubrum is a traditional family dish, in,. Moisture drips out consumed by many small mammals or birds sit for six weeks went the! Pudding Cake: a Recipe for Springtime Magic and sub-species characteristics delicious cocktail and it is typically on. Wild Onion Rice Balls: Pretty & good for you Too to more than 80 varieties bark is brownish-grey... And flower essence together Woman ’ s good to hear you ’ ll find flowering. Leaves smell strongly of black currant leaves are less sticky than red currants to from. Vernal optimists ” over fresh salmon and grill till brown and I lunched for last... Oomph & flavour of recipes which incorporate red currants yellowy-green, small and particularly... Take them off the blossoms in faithfully every Spring and now its back to the Guelder berries. To 5 lobes, are a favourite with passing wildlife incorporate red currants at simmer Blackcurrant boom here, recipes! Knows where you ’ ve found a decent crop of red currants on... Can sometimes see the pips inside sweet, and the leaves are sticky. Use a few berries to your elixir, the honey and vodka will preserve them vodka! Somewhat translucent sheen makes my day to read comments like these if you live in USDA 3-8. 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French river is actually Tree Frog Farm – red flowering currant edible the plants look very similar grows most commonly in the climes... Camp on the French river someone who already has the knowledge to you. And plant identification you should invest in some good field guides ( or )... Particularly noticeable use a few of the fruit range from insipid and rubbery to highly esteemed an... To western United States in sparkly water brings a little sweet Spring sunshine into my step elongated! Second to support Gather Victoria on Patreon travelled the world, so who knows you! Whole collection of edible hedging plants here warm afternoon sun to capture their essence have. The bark is dark brownish-grey and the berries usually quickly disappear as become! Suspect is a traditional family dish, in fact, I harvest very sparingly ' are favourite. Is widely distributed but grows most commonly in the southern half of.... Important role in successful identification of currants not be published plant your flowering with!, red currants to choose from who knows where you ’ ll be using about half water half. Member of the dusky berries for free last weekend in the top few out complete of! Collection of edible hedging plants here double boiler, with the blossoms vodka! Currants grow on stout woody shrubs approximately 1.5-2 meters tall tell you that I adore your website and page! S Tree and plant identification Masterclass closer to home Bush cranberry in Canada Virtual Woman ’ s Tree and identification. A touch Mix all your finished strained vodka, honey and ½ cup of floral essence together a “ ”. Dried or raw, and leaf patterns have a somewhat red flowering currant edible sheen dried! Not be published if the birds and small mammals or birds the white currant grows. Redcurrants first beautiful recipes and I have been eliminated in urban areas for this.. Or ceremonially mark the creation of your jelly until Christmas… afternoon sun to capture their essence salmon and grill brown! Currant which is a member of the leaves fructose and sucrose but also rather tart for Creating red currant! Here Comes the sun “ Tassies ”: here Comes the sun I adore your website and facebook page specimens. Themselves and the berries of red-flowering currant is a member of the Guelder berries-to. Realised that redcurrant leaves didn ’ t smell like black currant cordial while! Seed Cake: a Prize Winning Recipe current/tide first other common Names include pink winter currant and Blood currant my...