Ribes viscosissimum
| Hall's sticky currant (Ribes viscosissimum) | |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Ribes viscosissimum |
| Common names | Hall's sticky currant; sticky currant; sticky flowering currant |
| Genus | Ribes |
| Family | Grossulariaceae |
| Order | Saxifragales |
| Native range | Western Canada and the western United States |
| Growth habit | Spreading to erect shrub, about 1–2 m tall |
| Fruit | Blue-black berry, about 1 cm or longer |
| Flowering | Spring |
| Soil and water | Moisture-retentive but well-drained loam; wet places; poor performance in clay |
| Sun and humidity | Full sun; shade tolerated with reduced fruiting |
| Ribes viscosissimum, commonly called Hall's sticky currant, sticky currant or sticky flowering currant, is a glandular, sticky shrub native to western North America. Its range extends from Alberta and British Columbia through the western United States, including California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.[1] It grows in mountain forests, along streambanks and in plateau sagebrush, and reaches roughly 1–2 m as a spreading to erect shrub.[2] | The leaves and stems are sticky from glandular hairs. Spring racemes carry whitish, greenish or pink-tinged flowers, followed by blue-black berries described as edible and about 1 cm or longer.[2] The botanical name Ribes viscosissimum is accepted in the current Kew treatment; Ribes viscosissimum var. hallii is an alternative botanical name, not a documented cultivated cultivar.[1][2]
Description[edit | edit source]
Hall's sticky currant is a spreading to erect shrub about 1–2 m tall. Its stems and leaves are glandular and sticky. In the habitats described for the species, it occurs in mountain forests, streambanks and plateau sagebrush, including wet places as well as more open upland settings.[2]
The flowers are borne in spring racemes and may be whitish, greenish or tinged pink. The fruit is described as a blue-black berry about 1 cm or longer. The edible designation is a botanical description rather than a food-safety certification, so fruit should be taken only from a positively identified plant and handled as an individual food decision.[2]
Cultivation[edit | edit source]
Soil and water[edit | edit source]
The species is associated with streambanks, mountain forests and other wet places. Cultivation guidance favors moisture-retentive but well-drained loam; sandy or loamy soil is preferred, while poor performance is noted in clay.[2][3] The practical target is a root zone that stays evenly supplied with moisture but does not remain saturated. On heavy ground, drainage is therefore as important as water-holding capacity.
Sun and humidity[edit | edit source]
Full sun is listed for cultivation, although shade is tolerated with reduced fruiting.[2] A bright position is the better starting point when fruit production is the goal. The native settings span forest, streambank and plateau environments, so exposure and irrigation should be adjusted together: protect a newly planted shrub from severe drying while preserving the drainage required by its moisture-retentive soil preference.
Seasonal changes[edit | edit source]
Flowering occurs in spring, when the racemes appear.[2] Maintain reliable moisture as growth resumes and flowering begins, then continue to avoid sharp drying while berries develop. Seasonal watering should follow rainfall and drainage rather than a fixed calendar, especially where the planting site is much drier than a streambank or mountain-forest setting.
Propagation[edit | edit source]
Fresh seed is listed for sowing in autumn in a cold frame. Stored seed is listed with about three months of cold stratification before protected seedling culture; this is compiled cultivation guidance rather than a replicated species-specific germination trial.[3]
Half-ripe heel cuttings are listed for July or August, and mature current-season wood cuttings for November through February.[3] These alternatives give a grower both seed and vegetative starting points. Keep provenance and the scientific name with propagated material, particularly because Ribes viscosissimum var. hallii is a botanical synonym or alternative name rather than a verified cultivar.
Flowering, fruiting, and harvest[edit | edit source]
Spring racemes may be whitish, greenish or pink-tinged. The berry is blue-black and about 1 cm or longer.[2] Fruit color and size are useful observation points, but should not be treated as a guaranteed calendar or as evidence of a universal pollination requirement.
Fruit and uses[edit | edit source]
The blue-black berry is described as edible.[2] That description supports edible fruit use, but does not establish food safety for every collection, location or look-alike. Confirm the plant's identity before tasting fruit, and keep any evaluation tied to the individual planting rather than assuming uniform flavor or quality across the species.
Pests and disease[edit | edit source]
A compiled cultivation account warns of white-pine blister rust near pine trees and lists susceptibility to honey fungus at the genus level.[3] These are practical cautions rather than quantified, species-specific disease trials. Site selection should take the warning seriously where susceptible pines are present, while avoiding a claim that every plant will be affected.