Ontario Trees & Shrubs website

Wild Black Currant
Ribes americanum

Other common names: American Black Currant

French names: Gadellier d'Amérique

Family: Gooseberry Family (Grossulariaceae), (Saxifrage Family (Saxifragaceae))

Group: Currants

Distinctive features: Shrub; Yellow-green tubular flowers hanging down in racemes.

Similar species:
  •   Currants - See Currants.

  •   Gooseberries - See Gooseberries.


Flowers: Summer;  Yellow;  5 parts (petals);  Whitish-greenish flowers in a raceme, hanging down. More than 5 flowers in the raceme.

Leaves: Alternate, Simple;  Alternate.

Height: 1-2 m (3-6 ft)

Fruit/Seeds: Black fruit.

Habitat: Fields and Open Areas;  Rich woods, thickets, stream banks.

Books: Newcomb's Wildflower Guide: 306   

Native/Non-native: Native

Status: Common.

Origin and Meaning of Names:
 Scientific Name: americanum: American


Photographs: 102 photographs available, of which 5 are featured on this page. SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTOGRAPHS.

Range Map is at the bottom of the page

Wild Black Currant (Ribes americanum)

A series of racemes of flowers hanging down, along a stem.

Wild Black Currant (Ribes americanum)

One of the flower racemes.

Wild Black Currant (Ribes americanum)

Closeup view of the flowers.

Wild Black Currant (Ribes americanum)

Another view of the flowers, showing size relative to a hand.

Wild Black Currant (Ribes americanum)

Leaf.


Range map for Wild Black Currant (Ribes americanum)

PLEASE NOTE: A coloured Province or State means this species occurs somewhere in that Province/State.
The entire Province/State is coloured, regardless of where in that Province/State it occurs.

(Range map provided courtesy of the USDA website and is displayed here in accordance with their Policies)