LOOMIS CREEK visitors are captivated by the heady fragrance of Ribes odoratum (clove currant) in early spring. It is on our TOP TEN list of fragrant plants and a must-have shrub for mixed borders. Dangling clusters of tubular yellow flowers with flared openings are both eye-catching and intoxicatingly fragrant (pictured here against last year’s stems of Miscanthus x ‘Giganteus). The sweet, spicy aroma is suggestive of cloves – but we’ll let your nose decide.
This 5-foot-tall deciduous shrub has an irregular upright habit and typically suckers at the base forming a family unit; we don’t find them to be overly aggressive. Handsome bluish green leaves have 3-5 prominent, but irregular lobes. Clove currant is dioecious; female plants will ripen edible, blue-black fruits, but it is generally the luck of the draw to sex plants when purchasing at nurseries. Loomis Creek has a limited supply of small 1-gallon plants this season, but worth the wait until we propagate more. Native to the U.S.; USDA Zone 5.
Be advised: Because Ribes species can serve as an intermediate host for the White Pine Blister Rust fungus, they are still banned in several states, although the Federal ban was lifted in 1966. Customers concerned with local and state laws should consult their County Agricultural Extension office.
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