Description
We obtained a few of these as a favour from a collector, quietly passed them to team members, and could not offer them publicly. This year we have a limited supply to sell, which is why it appears here at all.
It is a black currant in the full sense: aromatic, intense, and destined for cordial, jam and cassis more often than a fruit bowl. It is hardy and self-fertile, and it wants the same half to full day of sun and rich moist ground as the rest of the crop.
Overview
- A rare black currant, difficult to source anywhere.
- Full aromatic flavor for cordial, jam and cassis.
- Hardy and self-fertile; crops without a partner.
- Limited supply.
Growing Details
Latin Name: Ribes nigrum ‘Tahsis’
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: Rare varieties are worth propagating. Currants root easily from hardwood cuttings taken in late autumn, so one bush becomes several.
- 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
