The white currant (Ribes rubrum, white currant group) is a very hardy fruit shrub, prized for its clusters of translucent creamy white to golden berries, with a sweet and slightly tart flavor. Sweeter than red currants, they are delicious fresh, in jelly, or in pastries.
Its discreet spring flowering is followed by a summer harvest, generally in July in Quebec.
It develops a compact, dense, and well-branched shrub, ideal for the vegetable garden or an edible fruit hedge.
The spring flowers are visited by pollinators, especially bees.
Botanical name: Ribes rubrum (white group)
Type: Fruit shrub
Flowering: Spring
Harvest: July
Fruit: Translucent creamy white
Flavor: Sweet and slightly tart
Height: 1 to 1.5 m
Width: 1 to 1.5 m
Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Soil: Well-drained, rich
Hardiness: Zone 3
The white currant is an excellent choice for those looking for a hardy, productive, and easy-to-grow small fruit, perfectly suited for Quebec gardens.