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Ribes americanum

American Black Currant · Blank Currant · Wild Black Currant

Family GrossulariaceaeGenus Ribes

Drooping sprays of small greenish-yellow tubular flowers hanging from a green stem, among lobed and toothed leaves.
FlowererutuonCC BY-SA 2.0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

The plant

Habit
shrubPlants of the World Online
Habit
Perennial, ShrubPLANTS Database
Height
3.0 ft90 cmPLANTS Database
Flower
YellowPLANTS Database
Blooms
Early SpringPLANTS Database
Native range
Canada, lower 48 statesPLANTS Database

Growing conditions

Soil
Adapted to coarse, medium, fine textured soilsPLANTS Database
Soil pH
5.0-7.8PLANTS Database
Watering
Drought tolerance: HighPLANTS Database

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; PLANTS Database — USDA NRCS.

Worth knowing

  • The wild black currant grows across much of Canada and the northern United States. Several kinds of bee visit its flowers. Wikipedia: Ribes americanum

This source reports three treatments. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around June 19, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on June 18, 2026.

  1. Clean the flesh off the seed

  2. Leach in running water

    Duration: 7 days

    Washed and cleaned daily for 7 days.

  3. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  4. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

  5. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  6. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

about 9 months from start to step 6. Germination happens during step 6, in 14 days.

10% germination in 14 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Ribes p. 206Public domain
Show the original text
Ribes. (Saxifragaceae). All seed was WC for 7 d. R. americana is native on the property and germ. best if WC and placed outdoors in September. These germ. 35% in April. This sample also germ. 70 GA- 3(6% in 2nd w) and 70D(none). Other samples germ. 40-70L(9% in 2-9 w) and 40- 70L-40-70L(10% in 2nd w). The seeds are difficult to clean as a membrane adheres tightly and the seeds float. •
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Ribes p. 206. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Very high Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around October 28, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on October 27, 2026.

  1. Clean the flesh off the seed

  2. Leach in running water

    Duration: 7 days

    Washed and cleaned daily for 7 days.

  3. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  4. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

about 3 months from start to step 4. Germination happens during step 4, in 63 days.

9% germination in 14–63 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Ribes p. 206Public domain
Show the original text
Ribes. (Saxifragaceae). All seed was WC for 7 d. R. americana is native on the property and germ. best if WC and placed outdoors in September. These germ. 35% in April. This sample also germ. 70 GA- 3(6% in 2nd w) and 70D(none). Other samples germ. 40-70L(9% in 2-9 w) and 40- 70L-40-70L(10% in 2nd w). The seeds are difficult to clean as a membrane adheres tightly and the seeds float. •
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Ribes p. 206. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 3

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Very high Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 15, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Clean the flesh off the seed

  2. Leach in running water

    Duration: 7 days

    Washed and cleaned daily for 7 days.

  3. Gibberellic acid soak

  4. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C

7 days from start to sowing. Then 14 days to germinate.

6% germination in 14 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Ribes p. 206Public domain
Show the original text
Ribes. (Saxifragaceae). All seed was WC for 7 d. R. americana is native on the property and germ. best if WC and placed outdoors in September. These germ. 35% in April. This sample also germ. 70 GA- 3(6% in 2nd w) and 70D(none). Other samples germ. 40-70L(9% in 2-9 w) and 40- 70L-40-70L(10% in 2nd w). The seeds are difficult to clean as a membrane adheres tightly and the seeds float. •
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Ribes p. 206. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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