Red Osier Dogwood vs American Black Currant - TreeTime.ca

Red Osier Dogwood vs American Black Currant

Ribes americanum

Cornus sericea

CUSTOM GROW

American Black Currant
Red Osier Dogwood

American Black Currant is a native deciduous shrub known for its clusters of small black berries that ripen in mid-to-late summer. The berries are edible and have long been used for fresh eating, preserves, and baking. They provide food for birds and mammals, and their fragrant spring flowers attract bees and other pollinators.

American Black Currant’s foliage serves as a host plant for butterfly species such as the Green Comma and Gray Comma, and its dense branching offers cover for wildlife. The shrub has traditionally been planted in shelterbelts, riparian buffers, and restoration projects.

Red Osier Dogwood is a small deciduous shrub that features deep red stems and twigs year-round, with creamy white flowers in the spring. This shrub will add a nice pop of color to your yard.

Red Osier Dogwood is an excellent soil stabilizer. It is fast growing and becomes drought tolerant once well established.

American Black Currant Quick Facts

Red Osier Dogwood Quick Facts

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Zone: 2a
Zone: 2a
Height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Height: 2.7 m (9 ft)
Spread: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Spread: 1.8 m (6 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: fast
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Growth form: upright to spreading, thicket-forming
Spreading: seeds - medium
Suckering: medium
Maintenance: medium


Fall colour: gold to red
Fall colour: dark red
Bark: dark red, showy
Flowers: small, yellowish bell-shaped, in clusters
Flowers: white
Bloom time: spring to early summer
Berries: black, edible
Berries: white waxy
Flavor: tart, variable
Harvest: mid to late summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


In row spacing: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Between row spacing: 5 m (16 ft)
Native to: AB, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Other Names: eastern black currant, wild black currant
Other Names: american dogwood, california dogwood, creek dogwood, dogberry tree, red dogwood, red twig dogwood, redosier dogwood, redstem dogwood, western dogwood