Description
Kantata 50 solves the problem most people have with black currants, which is not the flavor but the acidity. The fruit is large, juicy and sweet with a low acid level, so it eats fresh from the bush while still tasting unmistakably of black currant.
That makes it the sensible variety for a first-time grower of this crop. The shrub is attractive, compact and disease resistant, and the crops are heavy, so there is no beginner’s penalty attached to the easy choice.
Overview
- Large, juicy, sweet, low-acid berries.
- The best starting point for a new black currant grower.
- Compact, attractive and disease resistant.
- Heavy crops with the flavor intact.
Growing Details
Latin Name: Ribes nigrum ‘Kantata 50’
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
Additional Notes
- Grower’s Insight: Low acid is why this one eats fresh. It also means slightly less natural set in a jam, so expect a softer preserve.
- 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
