Ribes alpinum (Alpine Currant)

Extremely winter hardy, Ribes alpinum (Alpine Currant) is a compact, mound-forming, deciduous shrub with bright green, trilobed leaves in spring. Emerging early, the foliage changes to dark green in summer with an attractive gloss on the leaf uppersides, before turning yellow in the fall. The flowers are greenish-yellow but ornamentally insignificant. This plant is dioecious (separate male and female plants). Scarlet juicy berries appear in midsummer on female plants. Perfect for formal or informal hedges since the foliage covers the plant all the way to the ground. It responds well to heavy pruning or shearing.

• Grows with an upright oval habit when young, spreading with age. Can reach up to 3-6 ft. in height and spread (90-180 cm).
• A full sun or full shade lover, this plant is easily grown in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils. Performs best in full sun in moist, well-drained soils, but is very adaptable to dry soils, drought, or full shade.
• Perfect for shrub borders or hedges.
• Attractive to birds and butterflies, but deer and rabbit resistant.
• Low maintenance, this plant has no serious insect or disease problems, but watch for anthracnose and leaf spots in wet, humid conditions.
• Prune whenever required.
• Propagate by rooted stem cuttings.
• Native from Northern Europe to Russia.