Ribes name to the popular blackcurrant cordial Ribena. The genus also includes the group of ornamental plants collectively known as the flowering currants, for instance "R. sanguineum". There are restrictions on growing some "Ribes" species in some U.S. states, as they are the main alternate host for white pine blister rust. Blackfoot Indians used blackcurrant root "(Ribes hudsonianum)" for the treatment of kidney diseases and menstrual and menopausal problems. Cree Indians used the fruit of "Ribes glandulosum" as a fertility enhancer to assist women in becoming pregnant. Currants are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species. Ribes
Ribes malvaceum source in habitat gardens. It thrives under oaks in bright dry conditions, and in many other locations. Pollination ecologists have reported the plant important as a honey plant for attracting large numbers of native bees. Ribes malvaceum Ribes malvaceum, the chaparral currant, is a member of the Grossulariaceae (gooseberry family). It is native to California and northern Baja California, where it occurs from sea level to , in chaparral, foothill oak woodland, and closed-cone pine forest habitats. "Ribes malvaceum" typically grows tall. This perennial shrub lacks the characteristic nodal spines which are demonstrated on the stems of many other members