North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Michele Stanton" <6ducks@gmail.com>]

The forms I see used here are described as male, so they're dioecious.
There's a planting of them I pass frequently, and I meant to examine the
flowers more closely this spring--but I didn't get around to it. Ohio
State's plant fact sheets says that the females are an alternate host for a
rust that afflicts grain crops, and are thus not recommended for use.

You grain growers out there--(grains are fruits, so this isn't
off-topic)--can you tell us which rust disease is the issue here? 

Does anyone have both male and female ribes alpinum plants?  What is the
fruit like?

Michele in SW Ohio

-----Original Message-----
From: nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Matt Demmon
Sent: Saturday, June 04, 2011 7:37 PM
To: North American Fruit Explorers
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Clove currant ribes aureum

Scott, I've read something about alpine currants and why they don't fruit
around here. I can't remember if they have mostly male or female flowers, or
if they flower too early, but they are a far far northern species. Anyways,
I see them used ornamentally around here, and huge bushes 4-5 ft have as
much as 10-20 fruits total. Also, the fruits are the smallest edible berries
I've ever had. About an eighth of an inch. Quite tasty though.

The clove currants are much different than black currants to me. I don't
remember any of that foxy taste that the blacks have. More like an extra
tart spicy gooseberry. The fruits on clove currant are much larger than
other currants.

-matt
z5 se MI

On Sat, Jun 4, 2011 at 2:51 PM, S & E Hills <ehills7408@wowway.com> wrote:

>
> I've got 3 alpine currants (from the same source) and while I get VERY
> heavy
> blooming, I get no fruit (so I'm guessing they're not self-fertile).
>
> I added a (very small) Crandall last year, but I didn't see blooms on it
> this spring
>
> How do these taste?  If they're anything like black currants, I'll pass.
>
> Scott Hills
> Zone 6b Michigan
>
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