Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Ribes: For Those Impatient for Spring


While time ticks by slowly for most garden plants through the remaining months of Winter, California natives have emerged ready for Spring.  Ribes sanguineum, Pink Currant, I'll admit looks rather lackluster at the end of Summer.  Leaves turn rust-colored and sparse.  But come February the garden becomes a fairyland of hanging pink ornaments.  Delicate little earring droplets drip off the edges of branches while hummingbirds rush to visit each one.  Instant enchantment!


Violets and Douglas Iris sit at the Queen's feet, adding splashes of lavender to the scene.  I'll be honest and admit that I can't remember what variety this is.  I'll venture a guess at 'Claremont.' 


This lighter variety grows happily in a large container planted just over the Summer.  I love how lady-like this one is with her pink gloves on for tea!


Ribes speciosum, Fuchsia Flowering Gooseberry, has been going strong since January.  The outgoing, wild sister of sanguineum, this spined, arching shrub shoves out seemingly millions of these racy red drops.  The Summer months find these flowers transformed into fuzzy orange balls, slightly transparent and filled with black seeds.  To call them berries does not do them justice- more like special gifts from space aliens.  I can attest, however that they are sweet and quite tasty, although the seed to fruit ratio is about equal.  The perfect plant for a low-traffic part-sun area of the garden in need of color.  I imagine its brambles could deter roving bands of cats from entering through that hole in the fence you've been meaning to repair.  Or if I've totally lost you there, plant one for hummingbirds who have been known to nest in these.  It's a win-win!







 

9 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. We have a wild Ribes here, that I think is R. californicum, but it's not nearly as dazzling as R. speciosum. A local nursery has a beautiful specimen at the moment...in raging red bloom...and I'm so tempted to go back and snag it! The hummingbirds sound like a great excuse to pick it up, don't you think? ;)

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  3. Yes! That's probably 'Barrie Coates'. I wonder what Country Mouse has to say about the chance of it cross pollinating and contaminating your native species though. Otherwise, you know me- the more the merrier!

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  4. Good point Christine. I did go back to the nursery, but as I couldn't get a clear answer on the potential for the Ribes hybridizing with our local R. californicum, I stuck to picking up some more native Salvia, and Penstemon. I'm sure the hummers will appreciate those instead. I'll just have to admire yours virtually for now ;)

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  5. Well, that makes me happy to be a Town Mouse. I just mix it up! And I agree, they're spectacular in early spring (though my Iris blooms much later).

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  6. Hmmm, I tried to research it and all I found out was that Ribes are self-incompatible, which I found to be a pretty funny term . I'm guessing that means they depend on other Ribes for cross-pollination. So I hate to be the kill joy (and I don't mean to blame it on CM, it's just that she's the one who might know), but you might want to stick with californicum for now. And yes, I'm with Town Mouse. I'm happy to mix it up! (and those Iris bloom later, too. The violets are what you probably see in the photo)

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  7. My Ribes bloomed this year! Yippee! Space Alien Berries! (Really, I planted them with the birds in mind.)

    Now, I'm waiting to see if the Douglas Iris do anything besides sulk.

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  8. Ribes are probably my favorite flowers. Well at least in the top 5. My R. sanguineum are blooming profusely right now, as are the ones up in Huckleberry Botanical Preserve. Nice the iris bloom at the same time.

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  9. Hi Brad! My favorite flower is always the one that's currently blooming! Hence, I agree with you about the Ribes.
    Lisa, I'm sure the Irises will cooperate this year- what's their deal, anyway?

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