Blackcurrant can damage both unopened and open flowers when the temperature falls below . The flowers at the base of the strig are more protected by the foliage and are less likely to be damaged. In midsummer the strigs of green fruit ripen to edible berries, very dark purple in colour, almost black, with glossy skins and persistent calyxes at the apex, each containing many seeds. An established bush can produce about 4.5 kilograms (10 pounds) of fruit each year. Plants from Northern Asia are sometimes distinguished as a separate variety, "Ribes nigrum" var. "sibiricum", of which "Ribes cyathiforme" is considered
Epicoccum nigrum "E. nigrum" were reported in children living in a damp and mouldy home, with daily exposure to "E. nigrum" in the shower. The fungus has been found on human skin and in spit samples. It does not typically cause systemic infection, although one case has been reported in an immunocompromised patient. "Epicoccum nigrum" has been treated under a variety of names in the genus "Epicoccum". It was first identified in 1815 by botanist Johaan Heinrich Friedrich Link. Today, all previously identified species are considered to be different variants of the species "E. nigrum". These include: "E. purpurascens", "E. diversisporum", "E.