Golden Currants

[tatin109]

I have been recently intrigued about the Golden Currants that are native to North America.

I’m interested in learning more about the different cultivars available for Golden Currant and seem to only be stumbling upon one cultivar in particular, Crandall. I will likely be considering growing this variety in addition to many European currants; reds, whites, blacks. Although, I am particularly interested in finding a cultivar or golden currant that produces the golden colored fruit.

I would love to hear others experiences with growing these types of currants and if they know anything about any cultivars that are specifically golden colored.

[newfredoniafarms]

I’ve been pretty curious about them, too. I had 3 and they all seemed to struggle where I am. I think I’ll try them in shade. I have seen some people growing them in Central Texas, though.

[JohannsGarden]

Golden currant variations

I really like Crandall currant and wanted to try variations in this ribes species and closely related species. So I wanted to find a yellow fruited one and all I found is seeds. So I grew some out and they are more orange than yellow. When ripe it’s tart but in a citrus flavor. Orange like flavor, I liked it! But the problem with species examples is the sparse production of fruit. Still was an interesting experiment and it’s plenty hardy enough too. Berry size is small too. Wild fruit in my bac…

[Joao]

The sparse production thing is real with the native species, though I wonder if it improves once the plants get established. The citrus-orange flavour description is interesting, I’d not heard that before.

[yellowcreekdan]

I like them better for fresh eating than european currants. I supposedly have Crandall. Taste is kind of reminiscent of a concord grape. They are more disease resistant than euros as well at my location. I do have problems with low production, but I recently added some seedlings for cross pollination so we shall see if that improves fruit set. Mine set flowers in extreme abundance.

[Chance_Lunceford]

I have some wild specimens in my project area. All of them but one are black fruited, with a tart and fruity flavor similar to average but not exceptional European black currants.

There is, however, one amber fruited specimen, and it tastes like spiced apples. It’s amazing. I don’t mean, spiced apples as a faint and wishful description of medlars, but that the fruit tastes like cinnamon and clove and cooked tart apples.

Here are photos of both, with the amber fruited specimen in the background of the first photo:

[Chance_Lunceford]

I’ll be propagating the amber fruited specimen.

[KS_razerback]

If you propagate extras you would have someone who’d be interested in trading for them .

[Chance_Lunceford]

That’s the plan, though it’s going to take some time to build up stock. Is there a way to remind me of this in a year? Heh.

[KS_razerback]

I guess I’ll write it down in my trades to do and proposals notes.

[JohannsGarden]

They don’t root easily from cuttings, but are prone to suckering into multi trunk shrubs. The easiest way to propagate them clonally is to dig up the suckers with a bit of root.

[tatin109]

Same. I’m open to purchasing if you propagate some.

[Adamsmasherz]

I am currently in the process of breeding them. They are quite an amazing fruiting species. Unfortunately, they’re not as impervious to disease as I was hoping. My climate is somewhat humid and I have had bouts of botrytis fruit rot and are also sensitive to anthracnose (although less so than European currants).

[treefrog1]

Me three, I’m interested in a start or seeds.