Virginia Tech Dendrology

stink currant Grossulariaceae Ribes bracteosum Douglas ex Hook. symbol: RIBR
Leaf: Alternate, simple, deciduous, maple leaf-shaped with 5-7 deep lobes, 2 to 8 inches across, long petiole, upper surface is glabrous and the lower surface is dull with sparse hairs and yellow glands. Leaves are stinky when crushed.
Flower: Perfect; inflorescence is erect and composed of 20-40 individual, small white flowers in a narrow, spike-like cluster 6 to 12 inches long.
Fruit: Small blue-black berries with a whitish bloom occuring in long clusters (6 to 12 inches), edible but taste is highly variable. The long clusters are quite distinctive since most currants bear their fruit in small clumps.
Twig: All parts are round and unarmed.
Bark: Green to brown with yellow glands that smell sweet, skunky, or catty.
Form: Erect, unarmed, usually less than 12 feet tall.
Looks like: mapleleaf currant - wax currant - red-flowering currant - sticky currant

Additional Range Information: Ribes bracteosum 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