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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] Red and Black currants for warm climes

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  • From: "William C. Garthright" <billg@inebraska.com>
  • To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Red and Black currants for warm climes
  • Date: Wed, 07 May 2008 22:13:10 -0500


I suspect that 'Crandall' is not one clone, but lots of selfed seedlings sold as 'Crandall' over the years by various nurseries, which is why you see so many different descriptions.


I had quite a time when I was trying to decide about clove currants two years ago. I kept hearing such different information. The Missouri Botanical Garden website said they were "a dioecious shrub which requires both male and female plants for fruit production." But some nurseries said they were self-fertile, some that you needed two different varieties (not male and female plants), one said that Titania Black Currant would cross-pollinate it, and others weren't sure what was needed.

I ended up buying a 'Crandall' and a seedling clove currant from ForestFarm, just in case. But instead of the Crandall, they accidentally sent me a completely unrelated (non-fruiting) bush, and I was so new at this that it took me a year to convince myself that it wasn't the right plant. They sent me a replacement last year, but meanwhile, I'd ordered five more Crandall currants from High Country Gardens.

This year, they're all blooming - and they're all clove currants - but the one Crandall currant still looks a bit different from the other five. They are just solid blossoms, as is the seedling current (which started blooming just slightly before they did). But the Crandall from ForestFarm was slightly later than the rest and has only a few blossoms here and there. Maybe it IS a different Crandall.

Well, I shouldn't have to worry about cross-pollination, anyway.

Bill
Lincoln, NE (zone 5)

--
All superstition is much the same whether it be that of astrology, dreams, omen, retributive judgment, or the like, in all of which the deluded believers observe events which are fulfilled, but neglect and pass over their failure, though it be much more common. - Sir Francis Bacon




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