Blackcurrant Blackcurrant The blackcurrant or black currant ("Ribes nigrum") is a woody shrub in the family Grossulariaceae grown for its berries. It is native to temperate parts of central and northern Europe and northern Asia where it prefers damp fertile soils and is widely cultivated both commercially and domestically. It is winterhardy, but cold weather at flowering time during the spring reduces the size of the crop. Bunches of small, glossy black fruit develop along the stems in the summer and can be harvested by hand or by machine. The raw fruit is particularly rich in vitamin C and polyphenol phytochemicals.
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