Description
Katyusha comes from Belarus and its useful quality is patience. The fruit hangs on the bush for a long spell without rotting, which means the harvest waits for you rather than the other way round, and it then keeps in storage longer than most black currants once picked.
The berries themselves are large and glossy with a high sugar content and a pleasing, not-too-sweet balance, so they are good eaten fresh as well as destined for the usual jam and cordial.
Overview
- Large, glossy berries, high in sugar and well balanced.
- Hangs on the bush without rotting.
- Stores longer than most black currants after picking.
- A hardy Belarusian variety.
Growing Details
Latin Name: Ribes nigrum ‘Katyusha’
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: This is the black currant for someone who cannot process the crop the day they pick it. It waits, on the bush and in the fridge.
- 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
