Golden currant

In the wild, the species' range covers southwestern regions of Canada, central and western regions of the USA, and northern Mexico. It has naturalized and is cultivated in Europe, Central Asia and throughout North America. In Russia it occurs in the European part, in the Caucasus and in the Far East.

Unlike other currant species, it is drought-tolerant.

Golden currant is sometimes trained not as a shrub but as a standard tree on a stem, with a height of 70 cm. In this case the plant receives good light, which is reflected in the size and quality of the berries.

Appearance: a tall, sparsely branched shrub up to 2 m in height, with a beautiful, rounded crown; young shoots reddish; medium- to fast-growing.

Flowers: golden-yellow, small flowers with a pleasant, strong fragrance arranged in short racemes; flowering lasts 15–20 days.

Fruits: spherical berries up to 0.8 cm (ranging from orange-yellow and purplish-brown to nearly black), tart-sweet, edible.

Leaves: lobed, up to 5 cm long, glossy; in autumn they take on picturesque colors — purple, maroon, orange, red, and lemon-yellow.

Requirements: sun/partial shade; tolerates high temperatures; winter-hardy; wind-resistant; suitable for urban conditions.

Soils: from relatively dry to moist, from acidic to alkaline; sandy loams or loams.

Propagation: by sowing seeds; stratification for 2–4 months speeds up germination.

Cultivation and care: choose seedlings without signs of drying, with a well-branched root system. Plant them in autumn or early spring. The planting hole should be large — 50x50x50 cm. Into it add 8 kg of well-rotted manure or compost, 200–300 g of superphosphate and 1.5 cups of wood ash, and mix all this with the soil. When planting, bury the root collar 5–7 cm deep. Then all shoots should be cut back to 5–7 cm above ground level. For fruiting it is necessary to have at least two cultivars of this currant.

Care for golden currant differs little from growing black currant. Watering is needed only during dry periods. Fertilization is not mandatory, although from the third year onward spring dressings with manure or poultry droppings combined with mineral fertilizers are recommended. In autumn, around each bush it is good to apply 4–5 kg of humus or compost, 20 g of superphosphate and 20 g of potassium sulfate (or 0.5 cup of ash). Golden currant practically does not require pruning. Pests and diseases are unlikely to be a problem. With proper care the plant will bear fruit for about 20 years.

Landscape use: widely used as an ornamental shrub for group plantings and hedges, clipped or allowed to grow freely.

Note: if the plant has become very overgrown, heavy pruning after flowering is necessary.

Zone: 3

R. aureum var chrysococcum Rydb. - golden-fruited golden currant. Shrub, at 11 years of age height 2.5 m, crown diameter 220 cm. Vegetative period from mid-April to the end of September. Grows quickly. Flowers in the second half of May, for 15 days. Fruits from 6 years old; fruits ripen in early August. Winter hardiness complete. Seed germination high.

Zone: 3