Northern Red Currant vs Alpine Currant - TreeTime.ca

Northern Red Currant vs Alpine Currant

Ribes triste

Ribes alpinum

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Northern Red Currant
Alpine Currant

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.

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.

Northern Red Currant Quick Facts

Alpine Currant Quick Facts

Zone: 1a
Zone: 2a
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: any
Moisture: normal
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: medium
Suckering: none
Suckering: low


Foliage: glossy green
Flowers: reddish or greenish purple
Flowers: greenish yellow and fragrant
Berries: shiny, sour, bright red
Berries: small, bright red
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Other Names: swamp red currant
Other Names: mountain currant