Description
Clove currants are a different plant from the black and red currants, and the difference announces itself in March. The flowers are bright yellow and powerfully fragrant, filling the air with a spiced, clove-like scent at a point in the year when almost nothing else is flowering.
Black Topaz is a newer selection with very large fruit by the standards of the species. The berries ripen black in July and taste uniquely of themselves, spicier and more aromatic than a black currant, and they are excellent fresh, juiced or baked.
Overview
- Fragrant yellow flowers in March and April.
- Very large fruit for a clove currant.
- A distinct spiced flavor, unlike any other currant.
- Good fresh, juiced or baked.
Growing Details
Latin Name: Ribes odoratum ‘Black Topaz’
Site and Soil: 1/2 day to full day of sun; rich, moist, well-drained soil
Hardiness: Hardy to USDA Zone 3
Rootstock: Grafted
Bearing Age: Light crop the year after planting; full crops by the third or fourth year
Size at Maturity: Upright and suckering, about 5 to 7 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: Plant it near a door or a path. The March scent is the main event and it only works if you walk past it.
- 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
