Ribes alpinum Schmidt - Alpine Currant

Ribes alpinum 'Schmidt' is a male variety of alpine currant selected for its vigour and dense vegetation. It is a deciduous bush that is very dense, perfectly resistant to cold, and capable of adapting to a wide range of soils. Its very dense foliage appears early in spring and falls late in autumn, providing valuable shelter for birds, while its abundant spring flowering feeds bees.  Fast-growing and undemanding, this currant is perfect for planting in shrub borders, and wild or trimmed hedges, and can help to thicken a country hedge. This currant tolerates limestone, clay, deep shade, competition from large trees' roots, as well as urban pollution. 

The Schmidt Alpine Currant belongs to the Grossulariaceae family. It is a male horticultural selection derived from the Ribes alpinum, a native species from northern Europe to Russia. This Schmidt variety averages 1.75 m (6 ft) in all directions, with excellent branching and a rounded bushy habit. Its young branches are light brown to greyish-brown, with bark peeling irregularly each year. In April, after leafing out, short upright racemes of 10 to 30 small yellow-green flowers appear, quite decorative. The deciduous foliage develops from the beginning of April, depending on the climate. It is composed of 3 to 5 cm (1 to 2 in) long leaves, divided into 3 to 5 dentate lobes along the edges, fresh green in colour, with a glossy underside. Before falling in autumn, the leaves turn yellow. 

The Schmidt Alpine Currant will find its place in any garden, in a trimmed or untrimmed hedge, in shrub borders, or even as a standalone plant. While it is more floriferous in sunny exposure, it tolerates shade perfectly, which can be useful for thickening a north-facing hedge. You can plant it in a spring scene with lilacs, mock oranges, an Exochorda 'The Bride', or even with a hedge honeysuckle. Planted in groups of three or four, mixed together, flowering currants create an extraordinary effect, particularly at the back of perennial borders.