Description
Red Jade is grown as much for the look of the fruit as for the eating. The clusters are dense and the berries are sparkling and translucent, which is the quality that makes a red currant bush worth a visible spot rather than a back corner.
The plant is vigorous and disease resistant, which keeps the foliage clean through a wet summer, and the fruit is juicy and good either eaten fresh at full ripeness or turned into jelly.
Overview
- Sparkling, translucent red berries in dense clusters.
- Vigorous and disease resistant.
- Juicy, good fresh and good in jelly.
- Handsome enough for a visible spot in the garden.
Growing Details
Latin Name: Ribes rubrum ‘Red Jade’
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: Pick into a shallow tray rather than a deep bowl. Translucent currants bruise under their own weight.
- 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
