Washington Hawthorn vs Northern Black Currant - TreeTime.ca

Washington Hawthorn vs Northern Black Currant

Ribes hudsonianum

Crataegus phaenopyrum

CUSTOM GROW

CUSTOM GROW

Northern Black Currant
Washington Hawthorn

Northern Black Currant is a native deciduous shrub found across Canada and the northern United States. Dark purple to black berries that ripen in summer and provide food for wildlife and humans. Fragrant yellow-green flowers that attract a wide variety of pollinators.

This shrub is well adapted to moist soils and can even survive periods of flooding. It has an interesting bronze colour in fall.

Washington Hawthorn is an attractive ornamental shrub that is dense enough to plant as a privacy screen. It produces clusters of white blooms in late spring to early summer.

Washington Hawthorn's red berries last throughout winter, bringing squirrels and birds to your property. In the fall, its foliage turns beautiful orange, scarlet, or purple.

One of the most overlooked trees on the prairies. This tree is often used as rootstock, a wildlife attractor, or a boulevard hedge. Give this one a second look.

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

Please note: this plant is poisonous to dogs.

Northern Black Currant Quick Facts

Washington Hawthorn Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 3a
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Height: 6 m (20 ft)
Spread: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Spread: 4 m (12 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: any
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Growth form: upright to prostrate, thicket-forming
Spreading: seeds - low, layering - low
Suckering: none
Maintenance: medium


Fall colour: orange, scarlet or purple
Flowers: small white, in clusters
Flowers: white flowers in spring
Bloom time: spring to early summer
Berries: black, edible
Berries: small, red
Flavor: bitter
Harvest: mid to late summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


In row spacing: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Between row spacing: 5 m (16 ft)
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, YT, NT
Other Names: hudson bay currant, stinking currant, western black currant, wild black currant
Other Names: washington thorn