Carried by 21 nurseries
View Availability at NurseryData provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria
View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora
Pink-flowering Currant (Ribes sanguineum var. glutinosum), also known as Blood Currant, is a fast-growing shrub with beautiful pendant pink flowers that bloom from winter to spring. This variety, primarily found along the coast and in the Coast Ranges of California, grows upright with a vase-shaped form, reaching up to 10 feet in height and 6 feet in width. The fruit is a dark purple, oval berry, edible but with an insipid taste, making it more suitable for birds.
It thrives in part sun to shade and well-draining acidic soil but adapts to a variety of soils. While it needs some summer water in hot inland areas, it is more drought-tolerant near the coast. This shrub attracts hummingbirds and insects, while its berries are enjoyed by fruit-eating birds. It also hosts up to 80 species of butterflies and moths.
Shrub
13 ft Tall
7 ft Wide
Upright
Fast
Winter Deciduous
Pleasant
Purple, Pink
Spring, Winter
Deer resistant
Full Sun, Partial Shade
Very Low, Low
Max 3x / month once established
Tolerates cold to 15° F
Medium
Tolerates a variety of soils.
Soil PH: 5.0 - 7.0
For propagating by seed: 3.5-5 mos. stratification (USDA Forest Service 1974).
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14*, 15, 16, 17*, 18, 19*, 20*, 21*, 22*, 23*, 24*
Coastal hills, inland foothills and valleys of the Coast Ranges, as part of chaparral, forest or woodland vegetation
Trees: Maples (Acer spp.), Alders (Alnus spp.), Giant Chinquapin (Chrysolepis chrysophylla), Ash (Fraxinus spp.), Coast Silktassel (Garry elliptica), Pines (Pinus spp.), Cottonwood (Populus spp.), Oaks (Quercus spp.), and Bay Laurel (Umbellularia californica)
Shrubs: Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.), Manzanita (Arctostaphylos spp.), Ceanothus spp., Dogwood (Cornus spp.), Coffeeberry (Frangula spp.), Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia), Ocean Spray (Holodiscus discolor), and Snowberry (Symphoricarpos spp.)
Butterflies and moths supported
0 confirmed and 80 likely
Milbert's Tortoiseshell
Aglais milberti
Western Avocado Leafroller Moth
Amorbia cuneana