Currants are one of the foods that are often found in the supermarket. But, have you ever seen a white currant? Do you know what bush they come from? If you want to know another rarer and always exquisite type of food, pay attention to what we have prepared for you.
In the article we will talk about what white currant is and what care it needs if you get a plant of this type. Shall we start?
Contents
How is the white currant
The white currant, with the scientific name Ribes Rubrum, is a thornless shrub. It is a variety of blackcurrant species that is characterized by the name that defines it: white. And it is that the currants that it throws are not red, but white, almost transparent, and much larger than those you can commonly know.
This shrub is deciduous, which means it will lose its leaves in the winter and regrow in the spring. Moreover, they do not need two bushes to fertilize themselves, they are in fact self-fertile, that is, they pollinate each other in such a way that you can have fruit even if you only have one plant.
The roots of the white currant are not too deep, so it does not need a lot of space. Also, it doesn’t get too big either. The average height of this shrub is about two meters.
As for the leaves, they are green, large and with a serrated edge. Although the most striking thing is the particular smell they leave (in fact, if you rub the sheet a little with your fingers, it will leave this aroma on you).
After flowering, which usually occurs in spring, fruits come, white currants, Edible although with a sweet and sour taste that not everyone likes. However, many consume them because of their properties because they are a source of vitamins, ascorbic acid, tocopherol, pectin…
Blackcurrant treatment
Now that you know the white currant a little better, What if we told you about the care this plant needs? That you know that it is not too complicated to have, especially if you have a guide with the base that you must follow, but you must adapt it to the climate, the environment, the temperature… that you have where you live (or where you have the plant).
That being said, the main care is the following:
location and temperature
Let’s start by placing your white currant. And, for that, the best place where it will be is, either in full sun or in partial shade. What does it depend on? Where you live or have the plant. We explain:
If you live in a very hot region with high temperatures and scorching sun, it will be best to place it in partial shade.
If, on the contrary, the climate is more temperate or cool, best in full sun so that it gets the amount of light it needs.
Their natural habitat is a cool, moist area, but they can adapt when there is some heat.
As for the temperature, they resist frost well, as well as heat, although when it is intense enough, it can make them stop.
Substrate
The white currant is not a plant that demands a lot from the soil. As long as you provide a soil that is somewhat acidic, with lots of organic matter and that retains moisture, that will suffice.
Of course, don’t forget to also add some drainage so that the roots can breathe well.
Irrigation
Irrigation is one of the most important cares, and you have to take it into account if you want to enjoy good fruit. To start, you should know that it must be abundant in spring and summer, while in autumn and winter you will only have to keep the soil moist.
If it is very hot where you have it, you may need to water it daily, while in winter once or twice a week may be sufficient.
This, yes, We recommend that you check before watering if it really needs to be wateredbecause throwing it away when it is already wet can end up making it sick.
Size
Pruning takes place during the fall and winter months. To do this, it is necessary to remove dry branches, which prevent air from entering the bush and ventilate it, as well as those that can be considered diseased.
This will help it sprout new branches in the spring, which will also be the ones that will give you the most currants.
If the climate where you have it is rather cold, then you can wait until early spring to do it, always before the first buds start to appear. Also, we recommend trying to cover it with a net or something. And it is that birds are among the animals that love white currants the most and if you want to try them, you will have to make it difficult for them to eat some that are not pecked.
Plagues and diseases
In this case, the most common white currant disease is anthracnose, caused by a fungus that causes the leaves to begin to have spots that grow larger and eventually fall off.
Multiplication
Finally, we tell you that you can propagate the white currant in three different ways:
- By cuttings. You will take them from the mother plant itself and then you will have to root them so that you can become, on their own, a unique plant.
- With children. When the plant is well cared for, over time you may find that new, small plants begin to emerge from the base of the plant attached to the main one. If you let them grow long enough and then cut them back, you can easily reproduce them.
- By division. This can be done when you transplant the plant. The goal is to try to split it if it’s very big so that instead of putting it in a pot, you do it in two or more. Of course, when parting, you need to make sure everyone has roots.
As you can see, you can now say that you know the white currant much better and you could even allocate part of your garden or balcony to it. Do you see yourself taking care of this plant?