Bill Schneider at Wild Type nursery in Mason, MI sells R. americanum. His web page is http://www.wildtypeplants.com. He specializes in local genotypes from this area, but he may have reccomendations for your own area. I'd try him.
Wild Type Design, Native Plants & Seeds, Ltd. 900 N. Every Road Mason, MI 48854 Ph. (517) 244-1140 Fax. (517) 244-1142 Email: wildtype@msu.edu
Good Morning Jason, I just ran across your post asking about ribes americanum. I do not know what variety of currents I have, but they grow wild here. In the spring they have bright yellow flowers that smells very spicey. When the fruit is ripe, it is black. Makes wonderful jelly and jam. Have not tried it for any thing else.
If you would be interested, I could share with you. They multiply like mad. I started with 6 plants about 20 years ago and now have a hedge about 50' long and 6'wide. I am going to have to get rid of a lot of it in the spring. Right now the ground is frozen (it got down to 0 last night)
Thanks very much for the offer Betz11. It sounds like you have clove currant. Can you tell me how tall it gets, and if it is growing in shade? Thanks again.
It gets about 5 feet tall, but the older limbs kind of droop, so my guess is they are longer. Mine is growing in full sun, but most of the ones growing wild are shaded by big trees. So I guess they will grow anywhere.
The older plant growth really neads to be pruned out. I think the reason they droop is because they are old, and of course, those do not produce fruit. The fruit seems to come on the two to three year growth, and they are easy to pick.
Hi Jason, I found out the kind of currents we have. According to the Utah Sate Nursery it is called Golden Current (Ribes aureum) and is native to the Rocky Mountains. Although the flower is golden, it has kind of an orange throat. It does have a spice smell, but I wouldn't describe it as cloves. The leaves turn burgundy in the fall.
loris
alliaria
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jasonkayOriginal Author
Betz11
jasonkayOriginal Author
Betz11
Betz11