Red Currant vs Lowbush Blueberry - TreeTime.ca

Red Currant vs Lowbush Blueberry

Ribes rubrum

Vaccinium angustifolium

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Red Currant
Lowbush Blueberry

Red Currant is a deciduous shrub native to western Europe. It features five-lobed, maple-like leaves, and bright red berries that can be used in jams, sauces, and fresh eating.

Although this shrub is self-fertile, it will be more productive if another pollinator is present. For year over year high yields, ensure you fertilize (bone meal), prune, and mulch your Red Currant shrub.

Lowbush Blueberry, commonly known as the Wild Lowbush Blueberry, is often wild-harvested and thrives in low pH acidic soil. This early low-bush blueberry produces white and pink bell-shaped flowers in the spring. Its fruit is smaller in size than high bush blueberry plants and is more flavourful with an intense blueberry taste-masking it perfect for fresh eating, baking, and preserves.

Note: Blueberries require very specific soil conditions. They need well-drained soil with a pH between 4.5 and 5.0. If the starting pH of your soil is between 5.1 and 6.2 you can lower it by adding sulfur. We recommend against planting blueberries in soil with a starting pH greater than 6.2. Please do your own research before buying any blueberry plants.

Red Currant Quick Facts

Lowbush Blueberry Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 2a
Height: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Spread: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: medium
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Suckering: none
Suckering: none
Maintenance: medium
Maintenance: high


Flowers: white, pink tinged, bell shaped
Berries: edible blue
Harvest: July
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Other Names: late lowbush blueberry, late sweet blueberry, wild lowbush blueberry