Silver Buffalo Berry vs Golden Currant - TreeTime.ca

Silver Buffalo Berry vs Golden Currant

Ribes aureum

Shepherdia argentea

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Golden Currant
Silver Buffalo Berry

Golden Currant produces berries for jams, jellies, sauces and even pemmican. This currant bush is very dense, allowing for use as a hedge, windbreak, or wildlife habitat.

This plant is also a very popular rootstock to graft popular red and white currant varieties to. The resulting plants are taller, more productive, and easier to harvest.

Silver Buffalo Berry is a cold hardy, ornamental shrub that is commonly used in the first row of shelterbelts instead of caragana or lilac. It features subtle yellow flowers, smooth grey bark, and red fruit. On occasion orange fruit is produced and rarely a yellow fruit. Please note: we regularly collect the rare yellow and orange fruit to use for our seed source.

Long-lived and slow growing, Silver Buffalo Berry is commonly found around sloughs, in coulees, and on light soils across the prairies, and grows best in full sun.

Buyers can enjoy increased bird life to their property, as this shrub acts as a habitat plant. It is also commonly planted for its ornamental and winter interest. It is native to parts of central and western North America.

This species is also known as one of the more salt-tolerant species for those with saline soils.

Note: this berry has mixed reviews when fresh, but makes a desirable jam or jelly with what is described as a clove and pear taste.

Golden Currant Quick Facts

Silver Buffalo Berry Quick Facts

Lowest Price: $2.99 - SAVE UP TO 50%
Zone: 4a
Zone: 2a
Height: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Height: 5 m (18 ft)
Spread: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Spread: 3 m (10 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: medium
Suckering: medium
Suckering: high


Foliage: green, slender, silvery
Fall colour: reddish purple
Flowers: yellow
Flowers: white
Berries: glossy black berries
Berries: deep red, edible
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


In row spacing: 0.9 - 1.2 m (3 - 4 ft)
Between row spacing: 5 m (16 ft)
Native to: AB, BC
Native to: AB, SK, MB
Other Names: buffalo currant, clove currant, fragrant golden currant, golden flowering currant, spicebush
Other Names: buffalo shepherdia, silver buffaloberry, thorny buffaloberry