Ribes rubrum Junifer - Redcurrant

The Redcurrant Bush (Ribes rubrum) Junifer is an early, vigorous and productive variety. Self-fertile, it produces long clusters of shiny red fruits which are very fragrant. Rich in pectin, they are perfect for making jams or jellies. Easy to grow in non-scorching sun, in well-drained or even poor soil, requiring support. Plant from October to March for a harvest starting from the end of June.

The Redcurrant Bush, also called Ribes rubrum, belongs to the Grossulariaceae family, like the Gooseberry Bush. It is a plant that has been cultivated for a long time, which grows spontaneously in many temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, from Europe to Siberia, to Manchuria. The Redcurrant Bush is a bushy, non-thorny shrub, with a clump-like habit of slightly stiff, sparse branches, with soft wood. This very hardy bush will reach 1.50m (4.9ft) in all directions. The foliage is deciduous, composed of palmate, lobed and aromatic, medium green leaves.

Flowering takes place in spring, in the form of clusters of small insignificant greenish-to-brownish flowers, intensely visited by bees. Fruiting mainly occurs on one and two year old branches. The bush then becomes covered with numerous clusters of small round and translucent berries, containing small seeds. Harvesting takes place as the fruits ripen. The Junifer variety produces long clusters of red fruits, to be picked from the end of June. Redcurrants have a red, highly fragrant flesh. Whether white or red, currants are a low-calorie fruit, rich in minerals and trace elements as well as potassium, calcium, and phosphorus. they also provide a good source of vitamin C and fibre.

Use fresh redcurrants in jelly or pastry, for pie filling or sorbet making. In the garden, this bush becomes especially attractive when laden with its long clusters, playing in the summer light. The pleasure is threefold, visual and gastronomic but also olfactory, when its warm foliage perfumes the garden. It pairs well with white cluster varieties, gooseberry bushes, and shrubs that offer beautiful non-edible fruit, such as Leycesteria formosa, beautyberries, Nandina domestica and its varieties, Japanese quinces, small-leaved Cotoneaster, Magical Beauty St. John's Wort, symphorines... For small gardens or to save space, it is wise to train this redcurrant bush against a wall or grow it as a standard. Note that the redcurrant bush can be included in a terrace orchard, as it performs quite well in large pots, starting from a depth of about 40cm (1.3ft). Be careful not to water it with too hard water.