Common Caragana vs Ben Sarek Black Currant - TreeTime.ca

Common Caragana vs Ben Sarek Black Currant

Ribes nigrum Ben Sarek

Caragana arborescens

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2025)

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2025)

Ben Sarek Black Currant
Common Caragana

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.

Common Caragana is a fast growing shrub that's known for its exceptional hardiness and drought tolerance. Although it's most commonly planted in shelterbelts, Common Caragana is also an excellent hedge or feature shrub.

Note: in warmer areas, this species can be difficult to contain once planted. Use the right plant in the right place.

Ben Sarek Black Currant Quick Facts

Common Caragana Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 1b
Height: 1.1 m (4 ft)
Height: 4 m (13 ft)
Spread: 1.1 m (4 ft)
Spread: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: dry, 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
Maintenance: medium


Foliage: aromatic when crushed
Flowers: greenish-yellow
Flowers: yellow, in spring
Bloom time: early to mid spring
Fruit: pod like fruits
Berries: black currants, edible
Flavor: sweet-tart
Harvest: mid-summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


In row spacing: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Between row spacing: 5 m (16 ft)
Other Names: ben sarek blackcurrant
Other Names: black karagana, caragana, pea tree, siberian pea shrub, yellow acacia