Northern Red Currant vs Thimbleberry - TreeTime.ca

Northern Red Currant vs Thimbleberry

Ribes triste

Rubus parviflorus

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Northern Red Currant
Thimbleberry

The Northern Red Currant is also known as the Swamp Red currant due to its preference for moist soil. As long as the soil is wet, this shrub can live in any degree of sunlight.

The currant itself is a bright red-purple berry enjoyed by many animals and some people for its sour flavour, similar to garden red currants. The flowers of this shrub are tiny and red or greenish-purple.

Thimbleberry is an ornamental shrub with large, green maple-like-leaves. Flowers are attractive, fragrant, and turn into red-raspberry-like berries. The berries are good for jams, cakes, breads, muffins etc. If you remove the berry, the core resembles a thimble, giving this shrub its namesake.

Northern Red Currant Quick Facts

Thimbleberry Quick Facts

Zone: 1a
Zone: 4a
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Height: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Spread: 0.8 m (2.5 ft)
Spread: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Light: any
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: any
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: medium
Suckering: none
Suckering: none


Foliage: Soft leaves up to 8 inches across
Fall colour: gold
Flowers: reddish or greenish purple
Flowers: white, showy
Berries: shiny, sour, bright red
Berries: edible, red, similar to raspberries
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, ON
Other Names: swamp red currant
Other Names: thimbleberry, western thimbleberry