Ribes Sp - Currant

Family: Grossulariaceae - Gooseberry

(Arabic: for plants of this genus) [Schultheis & Donoghue 2004 Syst Bot 29:77–96; Senters & Soltis 2003 Taxon 52:51–66] ^[Jepson]

Local Species;

1. Ribes acerifolium - maple-leaved currant
2. Ribes aureum - golden currant
3. Ribes bracteosum - stink currant
4. Ribes divaricatum ssp divaricatum - wild black gooseberry
5. Ribes inerme var inerme - white-stemmed gooseberry
6. Ribes lacustre - black gooseberry
7. Ribes laxiflorum - trailing black currant
8. Ribes lobbii - gummy gooseberry
9. Ribes sanguineum - red-flowering currant
10. Ribes viscosissimum - sticky currant

Habitat/Range

• R. acerifolium; "Moist meadows and streambanks in the montane to alpine zones; infrequent in extreme SW BC on the mainland and rare in SE BC; S to ID and OR." [IFBC-E-flora-1]
• R. bracteosum; "Moist woodlands, forests, streambanks, shorelines, thickets and avalanche tracks in the lowland to the subalpine zones; frequent on the Queen Charlotte Islands, Vancouver Island and the adjacent mainland, mostly west of the Coast-Cascade Mountains; N to S AK and S to CA. " [IFBC-E-flora-3]
• R. divaricatum ssp divaricatum; " " Moist to mesic thickets, meadows, open woodlands, and forests in the lowland zone; frequent on Vancouver Island, the Gulf islands and adjacent mainland; S to CA. [IFBC-E-flora-4]
• R. inerme var inerme; "Moist to dry streambanks, woodlands and forests in the lowland, montane and subalpine zones; locally frequent in S BC; E to AB and S to MT, NM and CA." [IFBC-E-flora-5]
• R. lacustre; "Moist streambanks, open woodlands, forest margins and rock outcrops in the montane to alpine zones; common throughout BC except extreme NE BC; N to AK, YT and SW NT, E to NF and S to PA, MI, SD, CO, UT and CA." [IFBC-E-flora-6]
• R. laxiflorum; "Moist cliffs, rocky slopes, avalanche tracks, forest margins, forests, and clearings in the lowland and montane zones; common in W and E BC, infrequent in C BC; N to S AK and S YT, E to AB and S to ID and CA." [IFBC-E-flora-7]
• R. lobbii; " Mesic to dry streambanks, rock outcrops, open woodlands and forests in the lowland and montane zones; locally frequent on S Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands; S to CA." [IFBC-E-flora-8]
• R. sanguineum; "Moist to dry forests and rock outcrops in the lowland and montane zones; frequent in SW and SE BC north to 52degreeN; S to CA." [IFBC-E-flora-9]
• R. viscosissimum; " Moist to dry woodlands and forest openings in the montane and subalpine zones; frequent in SC and SE BC; E to AB and S to CO, AZ, and CA." [IFBC-E-flora-10]

Status

• R. acerifolium; Native [E-flora-1]
• R. aureum; Exotic [E-flora-2]
• R. bracteosum; Native [E-flora-3]
• R. divaricatum ssp divaricatum; Native [E-flora-4]
• R. inerme var inerme; Native [E-flora-5]
• R. lacustre; Native [E-flora-6]
• R. laxiflorum; Native [E-flora-7]
• R. lobbii; Native [E-flora-8]
• R. sanguineum; Native [E-flora-9]
• R. viscosissimum; Native [E-flora-10]

Ecological Indicator Information

R.bracteosum; "A shade-tolerant/intolerant, submontane to subalpine, Western North American deciduous shrub distributed more in the Pacific than in the Cordilleran region. Occurs in hypermaritime to maritime cool mesothermal climates on very moist to wet, nitrogen-rich soils; its occurrence increases with increasing precipitation and decreases with increasing elevation and continentality. Scattered in semi­open forests on water-receiving (floodplain and stream-edge) sites. Usually associated with Alnus rubra, Oplopanax horridus, and Rubus spectabilis. A nitrophytic species characteristic of Moder and Mull humus forms." [IPBC-E-flora-3]

R. divaricatum ssp divaricatum; "A shade-tolerant/intolerant, submontane to montane, Western North American deciduous shrub distributed more in the Pacific than in the Cordilleran region. Occurs in maritime to submaritime cool mesothermal climates on moderately dry to fresh, nitrogen-medium soils; its occurrence decreases with increasing elevation and continentality. Sporadic in semi-open Douglas-fir forests on water­shedding sites; persists on cutover areas. Characteristic of early-seral communities." [IPBC-E-flora-4]

R. lacustre; "A shade-tolerant/intolerant, submontane to subalpine, Asian and transcontinental North American deciduous shrub. Occurs on fresh to moist, nitrogen-rich soils within boreal, temperate, and cool mesothermal climates; its occurrence increases with increasing continentality. Common in semi-open forests on water-receiving sites, less often on water­shedding sites. Usually associated with Acer glabrum, Oplopanax horridus, Rubus parvifIorus, Smilacina stellata, and Valeriana sitchensis. A nitrophytic species characteristic of Moder and Mull humus forms." [IPBC-E-flora-6]

R. laxiflorum; "A shade-tolerant/intolerant, submontane to subalpine, Asian and Western North American deciduous shrub distributed equally in the Pacific and Cordilleran regions. Occurs on very moist to wet, nitrogen-rich soils (Moder or Mull humus forms) within boreal, cool temperate, and cool mesothermal climates; its occurrence increases with increasing continentality. Sporadic in semi-open and open­canopy forests on water-receiving and water­collecting sites. A nitrophytic species characteristic of nutrient-rich wetlands." [IPBC-E-flora-7]

R.lobbii; "Shade-intolerant, submontane to subalpine, Western North American deciduous shrub distributed more in the Pacific than the Cordilleran region. Species occurs in maritime to submaritime cool mesothermal climates on very dry to moderately dry, nitrogen-medium soils; their occurrence decreases with increasing elevation, precipitation, and continentality. Sporadic to scattered in early-seral communities and open-canopy Douglas-fir forests on water-shedding sites. Characteristic of moisture­deficient sites." [IPBC-E-flora-8]

R. sanguineum; "Shade-intolerant, submontane to subalpine, Western North American deciduous shrub distributed more in the Pacific than the Cordilleran region. Species occurs in maritime to submaritime cool mesothermal climates on very dry to moderately dry, nitrogen-medium soils; their occurrence decreases with increasing elevation, precipitation, and continentality. Sporadic to scattered in early-seral communities and open-canopy Douglas-fir forests on water-shedding sites. Characteristic of moisture­deficient sites." [IPBC-E-flora-9]

Species Mentioned:

• R. lacustre, R. bracteosum, R. glandulosum, R. laxifolium, R. triste, R. hudsonianum, R. aureum, R. sanguineum.
• Gooseberry - Ribes spp. (Grossularia spp., Limnobotrya spp.)
• Ribes; cereum, aureum, viscosissimum, sanguineum, bracteosum
• CURRANTS and GOOSEBERRIES - (Ribes)[FFWE]

Hazards

• May be confused with poison oak. Be sure you're reaching into the right set of leaves!
  
• R. lacustre; Skin contact with the spines can cause an allergic reaction in some people[101].

Edible Uses

• Fruits
• Ribes Sp; "While all gooseberries and currants are edible raw, some are sour or spiny, and are thus more palatable if cooked or dried. Dried, they make a good trail snack. Some Native Americans dried the berries and mixed them with meat to make pemmican. Pies, tarts, jellies, and wine are all further possibilities with the currants and gooseberries. The peel ed and crushed fruit can be used directly on pancakes and muffins. ...Some eighty species of currants and gooseberries grow across the United States and Canada, from Alaska to Labrador southward to North Carolina, Texas, and California. Although differing considerably, they closely resemble cultivated varieties. All produce fruit that is edible raw and particularly when cooked, although the bristliness and odor of some of the berries call for an acquired taste, especially when devoured directly from the bushes." [FFWE]
• R. aureum; Fruit - raw or cooked[2, 11, 62, 101, 257]. They make an acceptable dessert fruit[K] and are also used in jellies, sauces and pies[183]. The fruit can also be dried for winter use[46, 85]. Fairly large and flavourful[85, 183]. The fruit is about 5mm in diameter[200].^[PFAF]
• R. bracteosum; "Fruit - raw or cooked[2, 85, 101, 118]. Not very palatable[200]. The fruit can cause stomach upsets if eaten in large quantities[257]. The fruit has a mild blackcurrant flavour, though it is not so juicy, has a mealy texture and a slight bitterness[K]. It ripens in September and is acceptable in small quantities raw[K], it can also be used in pies, preserves etc and makes an excellent jam[177, 183, 257]. It can be dried and stored for winter use[177, 183]. Native North American Indians considered the fruit to be constipating and so would eat it with oil[256]. The fruit is much easier to harvest than most currants" [K].^[PFAF]
  
• R. divaricatum; "Fruit - raw or cooked[2, 3, 61, 118, 257]. Sweet and juicy[183]. A very acceptable flavour, though a bit on the acid side[K]. It is considered to be one of the finest wild N. American gooseberries[183]. The fruit is sometimes harvested before it is fully ripe and then cooked[256]. On the wild species the fruit can hang on the plant until the autumn (if the birds leave it alone)"[K]^[PFAF] "Widely eaten in British Columbia and neighboring areas, and were well liked. They were eaten fresh, right from the bushes, or were picked and mixed, raw or cooked, with oil. Some people dried them in cakes, but this was not common. The Nuxalk liked to pick them green and boil them to make a sauce. Sometimes they were mixed with other fruits such as red elderberries. Today, they are made into jams and jellies." [????]
  
• R. inerme; Fruit - raw or cooked[101, 105, 161, 257]. A gooseberry[161]. The fruit is about 8mm in diameter[200]^[PFAF]
  
• R. lacustre; Fruit - raw or cooked[2, 3, 85, 101, 257]. Tart and very juicy[183]. The fully ripe fruit has an agreeable flavour[256]. When crushed the fruit has a foul odour[43] but when eaten by the handful the odour is inoffensive (this sounds a bit strange!) and when cooked they make a good sauce[183]. The fruit can also be dried for later use or used to make jams and preserves[257]. The fruit is covered with weak gland-tipped bristles[235].^[PFAF]
  
• R. laxiflorum; Fruit - raw or cooked[61, 105, 118, 257]. Palatable, but not very juicy[256]. The fruit can be dried and stored for later use[177] or made into jelly[257]. ^[PFAF]
  
• R. triste; Fruit - raw or cooked[74, 85, 101, 177, 257]. A rather tart flavour[K], it is usually cooked in pies, preserves etc[183]. The fruit can also be dried for later use[257]. The fruit is similar to the garden red currant[183] and contains rather a lot of seeds[K].^[PFAF] "Today they are often used to make jams and jellies, and are boiled with other fruits, such as highbush cranberries (Viburnum edule) and used to make "catsup" or syrup." [????]
  
• R. lobbii; "Fruit - raw or cooked[101, 105, 161, 257]. Generally considered to be unpalatable, but they were occasionally eaten by some native North American Indian tribes[256]." ^[PFAF]
• R. sanguineum; "Fruit - raw or cooked[101, 105, 118, 257]. It does not have a wonderful flavour, but is tolerable raw[K]. It can be harvested when still firm in August and when stored carefully will keep until November, by which time the flavour has improved slightly[K]. The fruit is about 10mm in diameter[200]." ^[PFAF]
  
• R. viscosissimum; Fruit - raw or cooked[85, 105, 161]. Highly esteemed[257].^[PFAF]
  
• Leaves
• Used in tea blends. Make certain leaves are fresh or thoroughly dried, not wilted. Toxins are present in many leaves while in the wilted state. Harvested spring to summer.
  Some Native Americans boiled and ate the leaves, usually with meat. The leaves also make a bland tea.
  
• R. divaricatum; Young leaves and unripe fruits are used to make a sauce[183].^[PFAF]
  
• Flowers
• R. aureum; Flowers - raw. A very sweet flavour[85].^[PFAF]

Other Uses

• Fibre
• R. divaricatum, R. lacustre, R. lobbii; "The roots have been boiled with cedar (Juniperus spp, Thuja sp.) and wild rose (Rosa spp) roots, then pounded and woven into rope[257]."^[PFAF]
  
• Needle
• R. divaricatum, R. lacustre, R. lobbii; "The sharp thorns have been used as probes for boils, for removing splinters and for tattooing[257]."^[PFAF]

Medicinal Uses
Native Americans made various decoctions of currants for ailments ranging from toothache to snakebite.

• Berries
• Dried berry tea used as a gargle for mouth inflammation and sore throat. Other home remedies include eating whole currant fruits to regulate the bowels, applying currant jelly on burns, sipping currant syrup for whooping cough and colds, and drinking diluted currant juice for upset stomach and cramps.
• R. bracteosum; Eaten in quantity as a laxative[257]. ^[PFAF]
  
• Leaves
• The Herb Book recommends currant leaf tea for rheumatic problems and arteriosclerosis.
• Snakebites: The Kiowa of Montana made a leaf poultice for snakebites.
  
• Stems
• Dena'ina Athabascans boil the peeled stems of red currant (R. triste) in water. The tea is used internally for colds, flu, and tuberculosis, and externally as an eyewash.
• R. bracteosum; An infusion has been given to children as a treatment for colds[257].^[PFAF]
• R. divaricatum; The burnt stems have been rubbed on neck sores[257].^[PFAF]
• R. triste; A compound decoction of the stems has been used as an emmenagogue[257]. A decoction of the stems, without the bark, has been used as a wash for sore eyes[257]. ^[PFAF]
  
• Bark
• R. lacustre; The decoction has also been taken by women during labour to ease the birth[257]. ^[PFAF]
  
• R. laxiflorum; A decoction of the bark has been used in the treatment of colds[257]. ^[PFAF]
• Eyewash: For eyewash, the Klallam of the Olympic Peninsula soaked currant bark in water and added human milk.
  
• R. lacustre; A decoction of the bark has been used as a wash for sore eyes[257]. ^[PFAF]
• Inner Bark:
• R. divaricatum; The inner bark has been chewed, and the juice swallowed, as a treatment for colds and sore throats[257]. ^[PFAF]
  
• Various
• The Thompson of British Columbia washed their babies with a decoction of leaves and branches to make them strong.
• Bark,Twigs,Leaves
• R. divaricatum; A decoction of the bark or the root has been used as an eye wash for sore eyes[257].^[PFAF]
  
• R. triste; A decoction of the root and stem has been used in the treatment of gravel[257]. ^[PFAF]
  
• R. lacustre; The leaves or the bark can be chewed and then placed on sores caused by the prickles of this plant[257].^[PFAF]
  
• R. lacustre; A decoction of the twigs has been taken in the treatment of general body aches[257].^[PFAF]
  
• R. lacustre; A decoction of dried branches has been used in the treatment of stomach complaints, diarrhoea and colds[257].^[PFAF]
  
• R. laxiflorum; A decoction or infusion of the root or branches can be used each day as an eyewash to remove foreign matter from the eyes[257].^[PFAF]
  
• R. laxiflorum; A decoction of the leaves and twigs has been used as a general tonic[257]. ^[PFAF]
  
• R. laxiflorum; A decoction of the bark and roots has been used as a treatment for tuberculosis[257].^[PFAF]
  
• R. aureum; The dried and pulverized inner bark has been sprinkled on sores[257]. A decoction of the inner bark has been used in the treatment of leg swellings[257].^[PFAF]
  
• Roots
• R. lobbii; The root has been used in the treatment of diarrhoea[257]. A poultice of the roots and salt water has been applied to mouth sores, body sores, blisters and carbuncles[257]. The root ash, mixed with oil, has been used as a salve on boils[257].^[PFAF]
  
• R. divaricatum; An infusion of the roots has been used in the treatment of sore throats, venereal disease and tuberculosis[257]. ^[PFAF]
  
• R. lacustre; A decoction of the root can be taken several times a day as a treatment for constipation [257]. ^[PFAF]

Edible Uses of Berries

Stink Currant (Ribes bracteosum): Tend to be slightly bland, but not at all unpleasant, and were widely used. Eaten fresh.
Harvesting: Generally picked in August and September.
Preparation: Usually eaten with large quantities of seal or whale oil or ooligan grease; some people claim that without this addition they would cause a stomach ache or constipation. They were generally cooked, by boiling to a jam-like consistency, then eaten with oil or animal/fish grease, and later, sugar or molasses.
Storage: For winter use, the berries were boiled in wooden boxes, then poured into wooden frames set on skunk cabbage leaves and dried in cakes over a slow fire. Often they were mixed with salal berries for drying. The dried cakes were reconstituted by soaking overnight in water before being used. Can be frozen or made into jam. [????]

Uses of Related Sp

• Ribes sanguineum, R. bracteosum, R. hudsonianum, R. lobbii, R. divaricatum Dougl., R.lacustre Poir. (Gooseberries); ^{[Turner&Bell1]}
• Berries: "...the berries of all of these species were eaten.... They were usually boiled and dried into rectangular cakes for winter use. Often they were mixed with salal berries (Barnett, 1955)." ^{[Turner&Bell1]}
• Nets: "The Saanich and Cowichan used gooseberry roots for making reef nets (Harry, 1969). They were boiled with cedar roots and wild rose roots, pounded, and woven rope." ^{[Turner&Bell1]}
• Thorns: "The stiff sharp thorns of the gooseberries were used as probes for skin boils and for removing splinters, as well as for tattooing." ^{[Turner&Bell1]}
• Roots: "The boiled roots were rubbed the skin for charley horse and other ailments. Saanich grandparents washed their newborn grandchildren with gooseberry and wild cherry roots so that they would grow up to be intelligent and obedient (op. cit.)." ^{[Turner&Bell1]}

Red Currant - Ribes rubrum

"Medicinal Parts: The medicinal parts are the fruit and leaves." [PDR]
"Habitat: The plant is indigenous to Western Europe." [PDR]
Phytochemistry
"Fruit acids: chief fruit acid is citric acid; other acids include malic acid, isocitric acid and tartartic acid" [PDR]
"Monosaccharides/polysaccharides (7%): D-glucose, D-fructose" [PDR]
"Pectins (15%)" [PDR]
"Fatty oil (in the seeds 20%) with gamma-linolenic acid (6%)" [PDR]
"Ascorbic acid (vitamin C, 0.005 to 0.015%)" [PDR]
"Caffeic acid derivatives: including caffeoyl glucose, p-cumaric acid-O-glucoside" [PDR]
Effects
"Red Currant is a source of vitamin C and exhibits in vitro radical scavenger qualities. The fruit and juice are considered cooling and antiscorbutic and have often been used as a febrifuge. The jelly prepared from the berries has an antiseptic effect and was often used to treat burns to prevent the formation of blisters. The leaves are said to have emmenagogic properties." [PDR]

Cultivation

Hedge: When grown thickly around the borders of your property, currants and gooseberries make an ideal natural fence to keep out wandering trespassers.

The Navajo used a variety of wax currant as a guide for when to plant corn. As soon as the stems became green they ploughed, and as soon as the leaves emerged they planted.

R. sanguineum; Tolerates maritime exposure and can be grown as an informal hedge[29, 49]. It provides reasonable shelter when in leaf but is rather bare and gives little protection in winter[K]. ^[PFAF]

Ribes spp.; "Plants start to bear at 3 to 5 years. The seeds can remain viable for as long as 13 to 17 years." [NSSH Bubel]

Ribes spp.; "Breaking Dormancy: Many ripe seeds will germinate in spring after fall planting, but a certain number of seeds also seem to stay dormant for varying periods - an advantage for the plant in adapting to changing growing conditions, some seeds are always there waiting for better weather. Some Ribes seeds have hard seed coats, and most need a fairy long period of cold stratification. Stratify the seeds at 340F to 40 0F (1 0C to 4 0C) for three to four months." [NSSH Bubel]

References

• [E-flora]
• [1] Ribes acerifolium, http://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Ribes%20acerifolium&redblue=Both&lifeform=4, Accessed May 15, 2019
• [2] R. aureum, http://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Ribes%20aureum&redblue=Both&lifeform=4, Accessed May 15, 2019
• [3] R. bracteosum, http://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Ribes%20bracteosum&redblue=Both&lifeform=4, Accessed May 15, 2019
• [4] R. divaricatum ssp divaricatum, http://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Ribes%20divaricatum&redblue=Both&lifeform=4, Accessed May 15, 2019
• [5] R. inerme var inerme, http://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Ribes%20inerme&redblue=Both&lifeform=4, Accessed May 15, 2019
• [6] R. lacustre, http://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Ribes%20lacustre&redblue=Both&lifeform=4, Accessed May 15, 2019
• [7] R. laxiflorum, http://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Ribes%20laxiflorum&redblue=Both&lifeform=4, Accessed May 15, 2019
• [8] R. lobbii, http://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Ribes%20lobbii&redblue=Both&lifeform=4, Accessed May 15, 2019
• [9] R. sanguineum, http://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Ribes%20sanguineum&redblue=Both&lifeform=4, Accessed May 15, 2019
• [10] R. viscosissimum, http://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Ribes%20viscosissimum&redblue=Both&lifeform=4, Accessed May 15, 2019
• [Jepson] Michael R. Mesler & John O. Sawyer, Jr., 2013. Ribes, in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora, http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_IJM.pl?tid=41422, accessed on Aug 1 2014
• [PFAF]
• [2] R. aureum, https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Ribes+aureum, Accessed May 15, 2019
• [3] R. bracteosum, https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Ribes+bracteosum, Accessed May 15, 2019
• [4] R. divaricatum ssp divaricatum, https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Ribes+divaricatum, Accessed May 15, 2019
• [5] R. inerme var inerme, https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Ribes+inerme, Accessed May 15, 2019
• [6] R. lacustre, https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Ribes+lacustre, Accessed May 15, 2019
• [7] R. laxiflorum, https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Ribes+laxiflorum, Accessed May 15, 2019
• [8] R. lobbii, https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Ribes+lobbii, Accessed May 15, 2019
• [9] R. sanguineum,http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Ribes+sanguineum, Plants for a future, Accessed October 17, 2014; Jan 2, 2021
• [10] R. viscosissimum, https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Ribes+viscosissimum, Accessed May 15, 2019