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  • From: list@ginda.us
  • To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Early Bloomers--Bee Feeders
  • Date: Sat, 22 Jan 2005 20:02:51 -0500


On Jan 22, 2005, at 1:45 PM, Moyer, Richard wrote:
. . .
The Ribes also do well as early-mid spring bloomers, if you can get them. R. odoratum 'Crandall' is a tough native with exquisite scent that blooms with or soon after forsythia. Aka clove currant, this one if very resistant to rust and mildew.


St. Lawrence Nurseries carries these (http://www.sln.potsdam.ny.us/) I also got some from Miller, who sold them to me as "Prince Consort Currant: finally the taste of the real European black currant". I don't know if this was a mistake or a deliberate deception on their part. (It is not the "consort" black currant, nor is it the same species as the European black currant. It tastes pretty different, too.)

The fruit is pleasant out of hand, and makes a nice pie (especially mixed 50/50 with apple - you need to freeze the currant to do this as the seasons don't match) but I admit I get the most pleasure out of this plant in the spring, when it perfumes the air with a gentle clove scent and brightens the landscape. It blooms very early in eastern Massachusetts, a little after forsythia.

Ginda





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