Blackcurrant

The blackcurrant, Ribes nigrum, also called black currant or cassis, is a deciduous shrub in the gooseberry family Grossulariaceae that is grown for its edible berries. It is native to the temperate parts of central and northern Europe and northern Asia, where it prefers damp, fertile soils, and it is widely cultivated both commercially and in home gardens. A medium-sized shrub reaching about 1.5 metres in height and spread, it has alternate, five-lobed, serrated leaves and all parts of the plant are strongly aromatic. Its flowers are borne in hanging racemes called strigs, and in midsummer the green fruit ripens into glossy, very dark purple berries that are almost black. The bushes are winter hardy, but frost at flowering time in spring can reduce the crop. The raw fruit is rich in vitamin C and polyphenols, and it is eaten fresh or cooked, made into jams, preserves and syrups, grown for the juice market, and used to make alcoholic drinks and dyes. A northern Asian form is sometimes treated as the variety Ribes nigrum var. sibiricum.