Blackcurrant vs Alpine Currant - TreeTime.ca

Blackcurrant vs Alpine Currant

Ribes alpinum

Ribes nigrum

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

Alpine Currant
Blackcurrant

Alpine Currant is a great shrub to plant along sidewalks, near building or at your property boundary as a hedge or accent species. It is widely used by commercial landscapers in parking lots and near buildings because of its hardiness, attractiveness, and pollution tolerance.

While Alpine Currant produces edible berries, they are not palatable.

Blackcurrant is a medium-sized shrub producing delicious, deep purple to black sweet berries suitable for jams, jellies, syrups and cordial.

Our Blackcurrant is grown from seed from the "Ben" series of Blackcurrant cultivars, developed by the Mylnefield Research Station in Scotland with a focus on cold hardiness and heavy commercial fruit production. Our seedlings will be slightly different due to hereditary differences but will be very similar to this series.

Alpine Currant Quick Facts

Blackcurrant Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 2a
Height: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Height: 1.8 m (6 ft)
Spread: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Light: any
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: fast
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Suckering: low
Suckering: none


Foliage: glossy green
Flowers: greenish yellow and fragrant
Berries: small, bright red
Berries: dark purple to black berries
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Other Names: mountain currant
Other Names: european black currant