Virginia Tech Dendrology

red-flowering currant Grossulariaceae Ribes sanguineum Pursh symbol: RISA
Leaf: Alternate, simple, deciduous. Palmately lobed (3 to 5 lobes) and serrated; 1 1/2 to 4 1/2 inches in diameter; dark green and pubescent above, paler and velvety below.
Flower: Perfect, small, red, tubular flowers borne in long, showy racemes.
Fruit: Dark blue, pea-sized berries covered with stalked glands and white waxy bloom; edible but unpalatable.
Twig: Young twigs are round, green, and pubescent, becoming smooth and reddish brown with age.
Bark: Reddish brown to grayish brown, thin, splits longitudinally to reveal vertical rows of horizontal lenticels.
Form: A loosely branched, erect shrub reaching 10 feet tall.
Looks like: mapleleaf currant - stink currant - wax currant - sticky currant

Additional Range Information: Ribes sanguineum is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. Download the full-size PDF map.
External Links: USDA Plants Database
All material © 2021 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information