my consorts are very musky. its a acquired taste. most people don’t like consorts fresh. i do but i like strong flavored fruit. make jam with them. the musky cultivars make excellent jam and it tones down the muskiness.
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Good tips. I liked Ben Moore better…planted in 2012 I think it was. My attempt to grow Consort died back in 1992. Tatania too musky for fresh eating. If I ever get enough fruit, I’ll try jam.
I’ll send you a jar this summer!
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Wow…now that would be sweet!
Yeah, the flavor of the volunteer is not good. Will take it out. I can put a stick of Orphan in the ground instead, or Ben More. What a work horse!
Black September has a nice tasting fruit, just not much of it this first time around.
Makes a decent cordial, too, if you wait several months for the flavor to round out.
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I agree. If looking for lack of musky flavor I find the golden currant to be that berry. Well the black ones. it comes in red and yellow too.
i got my goldens from 2 different nurseries . the ones from colorado , i know are blacks. the other ones im not sure. hoping its a yellow one. my small crandall is loaded with berries this year. can’t wait to try them. things only 12in high and its loaded!. there was so many blooms on it the bush turned yellow! the flowers are a nice bright yellow with red stamens.
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I have only seen Crandall fruit, and it turns red, then black, unlike other black currants it is a deep red at one point. I do know reds and yellows exist, sub-species and such. I’m trying to find some too.
They do smell like cloves too. A large plant would make a nice scent with all of it’s flowers. i love the way elderberry flowers smell too, filling the air. Right now my night blooming jasmine stinks up my whole street at night. Reminds me of Jamaica. It’s the world’s strongest scent. One winter it bloomed in my house and the whole 2 story house was filled with the scent. Way too overwhelming even in a closed room, the whole house still smelled. So now I prune it to a stub before bringing in for the winter. it stays in check for most of the winter.
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my elderberries are just starting to bloom. they do smell great. around here everyone has a couple lilacs. when they’re in bloom i go for a ride in the evening , with my window down or in the utv and it smells great!
Black currants do well here in shade, at least part shade. I don’t think they like a heat blast desert climate.
John S
PDX OR
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ive read that the western native currants like crandall are more heat and drought tolerant than the european currants. i have my crandall in a gravely dry spot and its growing well , while my other currants in more favorable spots, have been wilting with our very dry summer. its also has the smallest leaves of all the currants i have. 1/3rd the size of my consorts.
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I think you’re right Moose71, good point. I remember having French visitors come over to the house and it was a nice summer day, like 82 degrees and they were going, “Oh my God, it’s so hot!” :)
John S
PDX OR
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this frenchman doesnt like it over 65!
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well , its begun. birds been eating the green berries off my crandall! I’ve had my consorts for 5 yrs. and the birds never touched them, green or black. put out some flash tape for now. may need to net it.
Yes, a different species than the blacks. My Crandall has ripe berries now. All my blacks are done now. It’s later than all others I have. The berries are quite large, nice plant, i like it.
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same with me Drew. They are complements to each other I think. I like both.
John S
PDX OR
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I think I’m going to make cordials out of them this year. You can do this with reds too. Basically make a syrup and dilute for a refreshing drink. I may add vodka too ;-}
Yes, and some sub species of Golden currant exit, red and yellow berries. Trying to find a yellow.
I want to explore these currants more. Another species I may look at one day is Swamp currant. Just because I have places it may grow well, and nothing else would.
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another week and my consorts and boskoop giants will be ready. been eating a handful here and there.
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ive found a few places that sell rare currant varieties but only sell in bulk. trying to convince them to send me some cuttings.
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