Currant (Ribes), Pacific northwest native shrubs

Northwest Native Currants

Kingdom : Plantae– Plants

Subkingdom : Tracheobionta– Vascular plants

Superdivision : Spermatophyta– Seed plants

Division : Magnoliophyta– Flowering plants

Class : Magnoliopsida– Dicotyledons

Subclass : Rosidae

Order : Rosales

Family : Grossulariaceae– Currant family

Genus : Ribes L.– currant

Species of this genus native to the Pacific Northwest: Washington, Oregon, California and some Canadian Provinces

Ribes L. Currant

Ribes acerifolium Howell Mapleleaf Currant

Ribes aureum Pursh Golden Currant

Ribes aureum Pursh var. aureum Golden Currant

Ribes binominatum A. Heller Ground Gooseberry

Ribes bracteosum Douglas ex Hook. Stink Currant

Ribes cereum Douglas Wax Currant

Ribes cereum Douglas var. cereum Wax Currant

Ribes cereum Douglas var. colubrinum C.L. Hitchc. Wax Currant

Ribes cruentum Greene Shinyleaf Currant

Ribes cruentum Greene var. cruentum Shinyleaf Currant

Ribes cruentum Greene var. oregonense A. Berger Oregon Currant

Ribes divaricatum Douglas Spreading Gooseberry

Ribes divaricatum Douglas var. divaricatum Spreading Gooseberry

Ribes divaricatum Douglas var. pubiflorum Koehne Straggly Gooseberry

Ribes erythrocarpum Coville & Leiberg Crater Lake Currant

Ribes hudsonianum Richardson Northern black Currant

Ribes hudsonianum Richardson var. petiolare (Douglas) Jancz. Western Black Currant

Ribes inerme Rydb. Whitestem Gooseberry

Ribes inerme Rydb. var. inerme Whitestem Gooseberry

Ribes inerme Rydb. var. klamathense (Coville) Jeps. Klamath Gooseberry

Ribes lacustre (Pers.) Poir. Prickly Currant

Ribes laxiflorum Pursh Trailing Black Currant

Ribes lobbii A. Gray Gummy Gooseberry

Ribes marshallii Greene Hupa Gooseberry

Ribes menziesii Pursh Canyon Gooseberry

Ribes menziesii Pursh var. menziesii Canyon Gooseberry

Ribes montigenum McClatchie Gooseberry Currant

Ribes nevadense Kellogg Sierra Currant

Ribes nevadense Kellogg var. nevadense Sierra Currant

Ribes nigrum L. European Black Currant

Ribes niveum Lindl. Snow Currant

Ribes oxyacanthoides L. Canadian Gooseberry

Ribes oxyacanthoides L. ssp. cognatum (Greene) Sinnott Stream Currant

Ribes oxyacanthoides L. ssp. irriguum (Douglas) Sinnott Idaho Gooseberry

Ribes roezlii Regel Sierra Gooseberry

Ribes roezlii Regel var. roezlii Sierra Gooseberry

Ribes rubrum L. Cultivated Currant

Ribes sanguineum Pursh Redflower Currant

Ribes sanguineum Pursh var. glutinosum (Benth.) Loudon Blood Currant

Ribes sanguineum Pursh var. sanguineum Redflower Currant

Ribes triste Pall. Red Currant

Ribes velutinum Greene Desert Gooseberry

Ribes velutinum Greene var. gooddingii (M. Peck) C.L. Hitchc. Gooding's Gooseberry

Ribes velutinum Greene var. velutinum Desert Gooseberry

Ribes viscosissimum Pursh Sticky Currant

Ribes watsonianum Koehne Spring Gooseberry

Ribes wolfii Rothr. Wolf's Currant

Wild currants here in Oregon's fertile Willamette Valley are a down-home touch in any landscape. Some bear delicious fruit, some pop in spring with colorful blossoms. Most of these northwest native shrubs change leaf color from green to bright golds and scarlets in the fall. Sizes at maturity range from 3 to 15 feet on average. They are, for the most part, resistant to pests and diseases. Any of these beauties will give additional wildlife value for food or nesting.

Click on links below for details on each species.

As yet, not all northwest native currants are covered in this website, though that may be done some time in the future. For now, we have information about only five of our northwest native currants.

Ribes aureum var. aureum (Golden Currant) Fine for native gardens, this currant is at home in much of North America, except the extreme southern and eastern states. It is hardy in USDA zones 2-10 and is highly tolerant of drought.

Ribes cereum var. cereum (Wax Currant) This mid-size deciduous member of the currant family is usually found on the eastern side of the Cascades where the weather is more sunny and drier than the west side.

Ribes divaricatum (Black Gooseberry) The flowers of this plant sort of resemble those of fuschias. After blooming, the hips of each bloom grow and form juicy berries which make excellent jam.

Ribes menziesii (Prickly Gooseberry) Instead of the usual shrubby shape common to other native currants, this one has arching branches that root where they touch the ground. Fruit is relished equally by birds and humans.

Ribes sanguineum (Red-Flowering Currant) This currant has found great favor with landscape gardeners. Not surprising--blooming bright to pale pink from head to toe, blue fruits follow the flowers, and finally in late autumn the leaves color up for a fine fall show.