Redcurrant Rotet - Ribes rubrum

The 'Rotet' redcurrant is an old, self-fertile and highly fruit-bearing variety. The April flowering produces large clusters of small, bright red fruits with a tart pulp. They can be eaten fresh and stored very well in cold temperatures. They can also be used to make juices or jams. This hardy variety is known for its disease resistance, as well as its ease of cultivation in cool, well-drained, even poor soil.

Formerly classified among the Saxifragaceae (alongside Astilbe or Bergenia), the genus Ribes is now the only member of the Grossulariaceae family. There are several dozen species of Ribes, mainly including the Blackcurrants, recognizable by their aromatic foliage, Redcurrants, and Gooseberries, with individual and much larger fruits. In Ribes rubrum, the Redcurrant, two subspecies, sometimes crossed with R. petraeum, have produced about 200 cultivars, some of which are commercially cultivated for the production of syrups, jams, and jellies. The wild species grows in many temperate regions of the northern hemisphere, from Europe to Siberia.
The 'Rotet' redcurrant is a variety launched on the market in 1963 and obtained in Wageningen (Netherlands) by crossing the 'Jonkheer van Tets' and 'Heinemanns Rote Spätlese' cultivars. This bushy shrub grows 20 to 40 cm per year and reaches a height of approximately 1.50 m with the same spread. The dense, non-thorny branches bear deciduous, almost round leaves, divided into 3 or 5, medium-green lobes. The bush blossoms in April, or even May, with clusters of small yellow-green flowers, without ornamental interest. They are intensely pollinated by bees, bumblebees, and hoverflies. As the variety is self-fertile, the flowers develop into small berries, mostly on two-year-old branches. They are initially green and mature, around mid-July, into a beautiful bright red with a shiny surface. They are small to medium but the clusters themselves are long and the fruiting is generous. Fairly firm, and therefore easy to pick, the currants are tart and can be eaten fresh immediately after picking. It's not a problem if the harvest is too large as this variety is one of those that withstand cold storage very well. The currant is a low-calorie fruit, rich in minerals and trace elements, as well as potassium, calcium, and phosphorus. It also provides a good source of vitamin C and fibre, and can also be used in jams, jellies, and fruit juice.

The 'Rotet' redcurrant is an easy-to-grow small fruit bush in most soils, except for those that are too chalky or too dry. It appreciates full sun and tolerates partial shade, showing resistance to diseases. You can plant it at the back of the vegetable garden, where it will be neighbours with strawberry plants, which are also delicious in summer. Sow some Cape Gooseberry (Physalis peruviana) which, in late summer and autumn, will produce original "Chinese lanterns" with a spherical, decorative and tasty orange fruit trapped inside.