Alpine Currant vs Falsebox - TreeTime.ca

Alpine Currant vs Falsebox

Paxistima myrsinites

Ribes alpinum

CUSTOM GROW

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Falsebox
Alpine Currant

Falsebox is a hardy, native evergreen shrub found in forests, rocky slopes, and open woodland sites. Though small and easily overlooked among the leaves, the maroon flowers still supply nectar and pollen for pollinators such as native bees and flies. Blooming in spring, they provide an important early-season food source. Its year-round greenery adds visual interest through the winter.

Falsebox is a low-growing shrub that tolerates a wide range of conditions, including drought once established. It thrives particularly well beneath the shade of mature trees, where few other plants succeed. With its resilience and ecological value, Falsebox is well-suited for naturalization, restoration projects, and diverse landscape plantings.

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.

Falsebox Quick Facts

Alpine Currant Quick Facts

Zone: 5a
Zone: 2a
Height: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Height: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Light: any
Light: any
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: slow
Growth rate: medium
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Growth form: prostrate to spreading
Spreading: layering - medium
Suckering: low


Foliage: evergreen, leathery leaves
Foliage: glossy green
Bark: reddish-brown
Flowers: small, maroon-purple, fragrant
Flowers: greenish yellow and fragrant
Bloom time: summer
Berries: small, bright red
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC
Other Names: false box, mountain boxwood, mountain lover, myrtle boxwood, oregon boxleaf, oregon boxwood
Other Names: mountain currant