Labrador Tea vs Bristly Black Currant - TreeTime.ca

Labrador Tea vs Bristly Black Currant

Rhododendron groenlandicum (Ledum groenlandicum)

Ribes lacustre

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

CUSTOM GROW

Labrador Tea
Bristly Black Currant

Labrador Tea is slow-growing evergreen shrub native to the boreal forests of Canada.

It thrives in wet, swampy conditions.

Labrador Tea has narrow, leathery, dark green leaves, topped by a cluster of white flowers in the spring. It is a perfect ornamental shrub for boggy, wet areas of your property.

Bristly Black Currant is a native deciduous shrub that grows in moist forests, swamps, and riparian areas. In summer, it produces clusters of dark purple to black berries that provide food for wildlife, while its reddish-purple flowers attract pollinators. The berries are technically edible and enjoyed by some, but many find them unpleasant and bitter.

Thriving in moist soils and shaded locations, Bristly Black Currant helps stabilize soil and supports diverse habitats. It is valuable for conservation plantings, wetland restoration, riparian buffers, and naturalization projects.

Note: When crushed, the berries are known to release an offensive odour.

Labrador Tea Quick Facts

Bristly Black Currant Quick Facts

Zone: 1a
Zone: 3a
Height: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Light: any
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: any
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: slow
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: medium
Growth form: upright to spreading, thicket-forming
Spreading: seeds - medium, layering - low
Suckering: none
Maintenance: medium

Toxicity: slightly toxic if ingested

Toxicity: prickles may cause an allergic reaction
Foliage: leathery, orange undersides, evergreen
Fall colour: rust orange
Bark: reddish brown with prickles
Flowers: white, fragrant
Flowers: small maroon-green clusters
Bloom time: spring to early summer
Berries: dark purple with hairs, edible
Flavor: tart, unpleasant
Harvest: mid to late summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, PE
Other Names: black gooseberry, black swamp gooseberry, bristly black gooseberry, bristly currant, bristly swamp currant, prickly currant