BackYardFruit.com - Blackcurrent Tree
It is a small shrub growing to 1-2 meter tall. The leaves are
alternate, simple, 4-9 cm long and broad, and palmately lobed with five
lobes, with a serrated margin. The flowers are 4-6 mm diameter, with
five reddish-green to brownish petals; they are produced in racemes
5-10 cm long. The fruit is an edible berry 1 cm diameter, very dark
purple in colour, almost black, with a glossy skin and a persistent
calyx at the apex, and containing several seeds. Cultivation and uses:-
The fruit have a high natural vitamin C content When not in fruit, the
plant looks very similar to the redcurrant shrub; they may be
distinguished by the strong odour of the leaves and stems of the
blackcurrant. Blackcurrants have a very sweet and sharp taste. They are
made into jelly, jam, juice, Black Currant Cultivation:- The best soil
for growing this plant has a pH between 6.7 and 7, the plant does not
bear acidity. A deep sandy soil is perfect, but the plant succeeds
easily in any moisture well drained loamy soil of average quality. It
usually fails to grow on heavy clay, dry or chalky soils, even if it
can still succeed if nourished with plenty of organic matter.
Blackcurrants require a lot of nitrogen, and are tolerant to moderate
shade and wind (even if they fruit better in sunny and windless sites)
Fruit is generally produced on one year old wood, pruning can be
performed in autumn by removing a third of the stems, just above ground
level. The oldest stems, that have difficulty fruiting, should be
pruned first, since the plant, when nourished well, will make new
growth from the remove stems and fruit well the following year
Pollination is best performed by bees and insects, even though the
plant can self-fertilize As far as diseases are concerned, the plant
should not be grown in the vicinity of pine trees, since it can host
the "white pine blister rust". Black currants are propagated with
seeds. They're best sown in a cold frame, in autumn, as soon as they're
ripe. Seeds should be sown as soon in the year as possible, and require
col stratification for 3 months. If well preserved, the seed can last
for as much as 20 years The seedlings should be pricked out into
individual pots as soon as they are large enough. They shold be grown
in a cold frame for their first winter, then planted out in the early
summer or late spring of the following year
Photo Gallery
