It is also a Scottish bred version: the bushes grow about 1-1.2 m tall, the bunches consisting of large, shiny black berries already ripen in the first half of July and they can be collected by shaking in full maturity. It is a self-pollinating, high-yielding variety, the fruit is of superior taste and quality, perfect for fresh consumption, conserving or frozen too! Due to the smaller, stocky stature it fits in smaller gardens, suitable for keeping in pot or planted next to each other densely in a row as a low hedge. It is one of the most recommended sorts because its cold tolerance and disease resistance is also high! Winter-hardiness zone: 6b
The black currant shrub (Ribes nigrum), whose fruit is extremely beneficial to your health and many parts of physiological processes, is native to northern Europe and Asia!
It mainly likes cooler, wetter climate and fertile soils, so in our country (Hungary) higher-altitude and northern growing areas, as well as deeper, colder, wetter valleys are the recommended areas for planting.
Worldwide, a number of current diseases and pests embittered the growers` life, so serious breeding work started in order to eliminate these pests. A flagship of these efforts is the Scottish Crops Research Institute, from where new, resistant, high quality varieties came out one after another, which are acknowledged among the best varieties of the world even today! These are the members of the so-called Ben … series.
It is interesting that in Finland the green berried blackcurrant is seriously dealt with, which has weaker aroma and even sweeter.
In Russia, it had already been grown in the gardens of monasteries since the 11th century and has been being dealt with in other parts of Europe for about 400 years. Due to its healing and refreshing effects, it has been cultivated in increasingly serious quantities in Europe, Asia and even New Zealand. Only Russia herself produces about 500,000 tons per year! During World War II, e.g. when obtaining vitamin-rich fruits became increasingly difficult in Britain, the government seriously encouraged farmers to increase the quantity of blackcurrant, moreover, they gave blackcurrant squash free to children under 2 years of age!
The beneficial physiological effects of the blackcurrant are listed here only in a nutshell:
Cardiovascular system: the fruit contains large amounts of flavonoids and Omega 3, this has a great effect on the cardiovascular system. It reduces the risk of heart stopping and stroke or high blood pressure.
Aging and cancer: its extremely high content of antioxidants reduces the risk of developing cancer because it absorbs the free radicals that cause it. The same harmful free radicals are responsible for the acceleration of the aging process, so the antioxidants in the blackcurrants successfully obstruct and slow down this negative process by offsetting the oxidative stress!
Digestion: The active ingredients promote the formation and balanced functioning of the beneficial intestinal flora.
Immune system, vision and inflammation: Blackcurrant contains outstandingly much vitamin C, as well as phytonutrients, tannins and antioxidants that cannot be stressed enough. All these greatly reduce inflammation, and specifically enhance the immune system, accelerate healing and recovery from illnesses! The fruit`s high content of vitamin A has very beneficial effect on vision and the antioxidants can help protect the retina! Anthocyanins and tannins in the fruit also exert an antibacterial effect, so can help to overcome the infections!
Blood formation (hematopoiesis): The fruit`s high iron content together with the extremely rich content of vitamin C, excellent helps the blood formation and red blood cell production.
Bones and teeth: blackcurrant also contains significant quantity of calcium, which builds into the teeth and bones so strengthens them and inhibits bone loss!
Brain: The combined effect of antioxidants and high iron content helps the brain to have good supply of oxygen, thereby offsetting its aging process and boosts memory!
Kidney: Drinking blackcurrant juice reduces the amount of oxalic acid, which is responsible for the formation of kidney stones as well, in the kidney!
Many other beneficial effects that we owe this precious fruit could be listed, but it is certain that regular intake contributes to maintain good health and well-being! Especially it is if we don`t mind our own physical work in the open air, without any chemicals, so cultivating, harvesting and processing the necessary amount of blackcurrants for the family in a given year!
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Drought tolerant |  |
Shadow |
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Average water demand |  |
Half-shade |
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High water demand |  |
Sunny |
ZONE: The USDA Hardiness Zone of the plant. See the chart of USDA Hardiness Zones HERE!
SIZE: The size of the plant in centimeter.
QUALITY: For example: K1: we grow the plant in 1 liter container, CSP8x8: we grow the plant in 8x8 cm pot, SZGY: we ship the plant with bare root (carefully packed), FL: we ship the plant with root ball.
