Black Currant Berry Bushes

Black Currant Plants

• Black currant bushes were banned in the United States until quite recently because they carried a devastating fungal disease that attacks pine trees. New resistant cultivars have seen a rise in production of this marvelous little fruit. The resistant bushes include "Consort," "Crusader" and "Titania." The bushes have multiple stems and a deciduous habit. Black currant plants grow quickly and respond well to training and pruning. The small purple black fruit arises in fall after a spring bloom of bluish pink flowers.

Fruits

• Fruits appear 70 to 100 days after the flowers have been pollinated. Black currants attract honeybees and other insects but can also self-pollinate. The fruit is musky smelling and almost bitter. Black currant plants ripen from the top down and are easiest to harvest if they are on long strigs, which are the stems that hold the fruit. The size of black currants can be increased if the ends of the strigs are cut off during development of the fruit. The berries are not much larger than the end of a pencil and each contains three to 12 tiny seeds.

Cultivation

• Currant plants need plenty of air circulation but protection from strong winds. They prefer sunny locations with some dappling shade during the heat of the day. Currant plants have very shallow root systems that need frequent, slow irrigation. In spring, fertilize with 4 ounces per square yard of nitrogen. Numerous pests and diseases of black currant require regular insecticide and fungicide application in spring.

Harvest and Use

• The black currant is a heavily scented berry with leaves that release the same odor when crushed. It is less intense after the berries have been cooked, and the currants require the addition of sugar before they are palatable. Traditionally the black currant has been paired with game meat, which is enhanced by tartness. Currants taste sweeter when the fruit is dried, and they can be preserved for months in this manner. The fruit is ideal for currant jelly, Cumberland sauce, in pies and tarts, as a sorbet and classically as part of a liqueur.