Description
Belaruskaja is a newer black currant out of Belarus, where a fruit variety has to earn its keep in a hard continental climate before anyone bothers naming it. It is both productive and flavorful, which is the pairing that matters.
The fruit carries the full aromatic black currant character, best turned into jam, cordial, syrup or cassis where that intensity becomes the point rather than a surprise. The plant is hardy, self-fertile and straightforward.
Overview
- Reported resistant to white pine blister rust.
- Full aromatic black currant character.
- Genuinely hardy, bred in a severe climate.
- Self-fertile and easy to grow.
Growing Details
Latin Name: Ribes nigrum ‘Belaruskaja’
Site and Soil: 1/2 day to full day of sun; rich, moist, well-drained soil
Hardiness: Hardy to USDA Zone 3
Rootstock: Grown from cuttings
Bearing Age: Light crop the year after planting; full crops by the third or fourth year
Size at Maturity: Upright and compact, about 3 to 5 ft tall and wide
Ripening Time: Mid season; July into August
Pollination: Self-fertile; one bush sets a full crop, and a second currant nearby increases berry size
Pests & Diseases: Reported resistant to white pine blister rust
Additional Notes
- Grower’s Insight: Black currants fruit best on one and two year old wood. Cutting out a third of the oldest canes every winter is the entire maintenance plan.
- Regional Insight: Currants are cool-climate fruit, at their best where summers stay moderate and winters are properly cold.
- Explore more berries in our collection: Berries
