The Redcurrant, Ribes rubrum
Description
The Redcurrant, a relative of the Gooseberry and a popular garden fruit, grows wild in the UK, but doesn't produce as many fruits as it's garden counterpart. Through July - September, it produces strings of luscious deep red berries with vertical lines and translucent skin, which are sweet, with a pleasant sharpness. There are also black and white varieties (called unsurprisingly, Blackcurrants and Whitecurrants!). The berries can be used for a range of culinary applications, from syrups and sauces, to pies, pastries and desserts. Or just snaffled on their own. Redcurrant grows in open woodlands, and along streams and riverbanks - Arthur found this one in a woodland clearing next to a stand of Raspberries.
Redcurrant Checklist
Habitat
🌳 Deciduous Woodland.
🌊 Waterways, including along the banks of rivers, lakes and streams.
Season
🌸🌞 Leaves: May - Jun
🌞🍂 Berries: Jul - Sep
Leaves
☘️ Green, palmate and toothed, a little like maple leaves in shape.
Flowers
🌷 Unfussy, pale green - yellow, bell-shaped flowers.
Stems
🌱 woody, brown, stems.
Berries
🍓 Produces strings of luscious deep red berries with vertical lines and translucent skin.
Edible Parts
☘️ Young Leaves
🍓 Berries
Aroma / Taste
👃 Indistinct Aroma.
👅 Raw redcurrants taste wonderfully tart and sweet.
😋 Arthur considers Redcurrant berries to be a Choice Edible.
ID Notes
🟩 ID Difficulty - Beginner
👀 Redcurrant is relatively easy to identify, especially when in fruit. The strings of transluscent red berries and the palmate leaves are the key identifiers.
Uses
☕️ Beverage - Leaves can used to make teas, berries can be used to make cordial or other drinks.
🧉 Condiment - Berries can be used to make infused vinegar and sauces.
🍨 Sweet - Berries can be used to make desserts, puddings and syrups.
🍓 Yummy - The raw berries are a tasty forage snack.