Cherry Prinsepia vs Ben Sarek Black Currant - TreeTime.ca

Cherry Prinsepia vs Ben Sarek Black Currant

Ribes nigrum Ben Sarek

Prinsepia sinensis

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2025)

CUSTOM GROW

Ben Sarek Black Currant
Cherry Prinsepia

Ben Sarek Black Currant is a compact, high-yielding Black Currant cultivar, making it ideal for smaller gardens and easy berry picking. The large clusters of flavourful, sweet-tart berries ripen in mid-summer and are perfect for fresh eating, preserves, baked goods, and liqueurs. Plants may start producing some berries after two years, reaching full production in about four to five.

Developed by the Scottish Crop Research Institute, Ben Sarek Black Currant is resistant to powdery mildew and moderately resistant to white pine blister rust. It is self-fertile, meaning it does not require cross-pollination from another variety to produce fruit.

Cherry Prinsepia is an attractive, cold hardy shrub with thorny stems and a rounded shape.

Primarily used for its shrub and hedge characteristics, Cherry Prinsepia is also grown for its ornamental fruit. Tart in flavor, the red berries are edible and enjoyed by birds and humans alike.

If deer are an issue on your property, try planting Cherry Prinsepia in a tight row to create a dense hedge to deter them.

Note: Unfortunately this difficult to grow species is not currently scheduled to grow at TreeTime.ca. Perhaps try purchasing seed from SeedTime.ca and growing your own? Or sign up for a restock notification above.

Ben Sarek Black Currant Quick Facts

Cherry Prinsepia Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 3b
Height: 1.1 m (4 ft)
Height: 1.8 m (6 ft)
Spread: 1.1 m (4 ft)
Spread: 1.8 m (6 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: medium
Growth form: compact, dense, rounded
Spreading: layering - low
Suckering: none
Maintenance: medium


Foliage: aromatic when crushed
Flowers: greenish-yellow
Flowers: yellow-white
Bloom time: early to mid spring
Fruit: showy, red cherries
Berries: black currants, edible
Flavor: sweet-tart
Harvest: mid-summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Other Names: ben sarek blackcurrant