Ribes is the sole genus in the plant family Grossulariaceae. The genus includes species commonly referred to as redcurrants, blackcurrants, whitecurrants, and gooseberries. Several species are cultivated both for their edible fruit and as ornamental plants in horticulture.

Understanding the Context

Currants and gooseberries (Ribes spp.), are some of the neatest California native plants. They have great flowers, tasty fruit, fragrant foliage, good fall color, and much more. This review systematically compiles and evaluates current research on the ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacological effects, and the clinical potential of plants of the genus Ribes L. Ribes species have long been used in traditional ...

Key Insights

Eliminating Ribes from non-hazard areas, on the other hand, is considered unnecessary, because there the disease occurs infrequently regardless of the number of Ribes bushes. In most states in the ... They are a varied lot; it would be possible to find a Ribes suitable for nearly every garden setting. They bloom in a variety and intensity of color and all have berries that, while largely not palatable to humans, are great bird-attracters. There are several named cultivated varieties with red, pink, two-tone or white flowers.

Final Thoughts

Var. glutinosum, found along the coast of California and Oregon, has less hairy leaves. Currants and gooseberries belong to the genus Ribes (from the Arabic or Persian word ribas meaning acid-tasting). Golden currant (Ribes aureum) is a non-spiny shrub with stems 4-5 feet tall and mostly three-lobed, maple-like leaves. The sweetly scented flowers are tubular and golden-yellow when fresh, but turn orangish to violet with age. ribes, (genus Ribes), genus of some 150 to 200 species of shrubs of two distinct groups, the currants and the gooseberries, constituting the family Grossulariaceae.

They are native to the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, extending southward in the Americas into the Andes.