Blood-red currant: a description of the best varieties and the rules for planting and care with a photo

Although berry bushes are commonly considered crop plants, there are varieties such as ornamental currants that are used effectively in landscaping and other similar uses. This variety does not require special growing conditions and pleases with beautiful blood-red flowers. Despite the fact that the berries of this shrub are not eaten, it is widely popular.

Botanical features of ornamental currant

This currant grows up to two or three meters. In the wild, specimens are observed whose height reaches four meters. When such bushes grow in the northern regions, due to the harsh climatic conditions, they are able to reach a height of no more than one meter.

Foliage can have different shades of green: from pale green, light green or yellow to dark shades.

Fruits are black with a slight bluish bloom. The size of the berries does not exceed 1 centimeter. Fruiting does not begin immediately - berries can be obtained starting from the fifth year of the plant's life. The fruits begin to set in August. The berries of this currant variety are not distinguished by anything special - their taste is inexpressive, they are not used for food.

Forms and varieties of blood-red currant

This plant is known for its decorative forms with improved performance:

The first form is called dark red. Its distinctive feature is the flowers of dark red color with a ruby tint. This shrub (Atrorubens) has a relatively small size - the height is usually between one and one and a half meters.
Brondebank currant is known for having yellow flowers and golden-hued leaves (Brocklebankii).
Splendens is characterized by large flowers that have a bright red hue.
Pale pink flowers are characteristic of the Carneum form, which are larger in size. The height of the bush does not exceed 1 meter.
A form with whitish flowers (Albescens) has been bred.
Terry variety Flore-plena has luxurious dense inflorescences.
There are varieties related to the type of variegated. A distinctive feature is the presence of cream spots and mottled colors.

The most famous varieties of blood-red currant:

King Edward VII's flowers have a rich wine color. They are combined into massive elongated brushes. At the same time, the crown of such currant bushes is loose. This variety is considered one of the best.
Pulborough Scarlet has pink-red flowers, which are beautifully combined with emerald currant leaves, which have a slight bluish tint.
White Icicle flowers are white. The bushes are seen as if wrapped in a white cloud. Flowers are united in large dense inflorescences.
Tydeman's White grows up to two meters tall. It combines a creamy white color with very bright leaf color.
Among the rose-colored blood red currant bushes, Strybing Pink is considered one of the most impressive.

Successful hybrids should be mentioned:

Produced by grafting on golden currants.
If you take fragrant currant as a basis, and alternately graft golden and blood-red varieties on different branches.
Might mention Gordon's currant, which combines a charming appearance with exceptionally strong winter hardiness. During the winter, the plant does not need to apply additional warming measures.

Description

Blood Redcurrant is the largest of all varieties.

The growing season lasts almost throughout the year. In every season, she is able to please the owners. In spring and summer, currant blossoms are striking. Even in winter, it stands out in the garden with its picturesque crown.

The growing season starts from mid-April and continues until the onset of winter cold.

What a bush looks like

The diameter of the crown roughly corresponds to the height of the bush. The shoots are straight and look strong. The bark on them has a beautiful reddish tint. The foliage is medium-large, typically 2 to 8 centimeters in size.

The leaves of the shrub have a palmate-lobed structure, and in the central part they are larger than the lateral ones. The upper part of the leaf is glossy, the lower part has a rare edge.

Characteristic of flowering of non-standard shrubs

The blood red currant is famous for its flowers. On the branches they are collected in brushes, and each contains 5 petals. Their color ranges from soft pink to blood red.

Benefits of using in garden design

This currant can be used for decorative purposes. Here are application examples:

Can be grown as a lawn centerpiece.
Suitable for use in spring flower gardens as a taller plant to combine with other species.
Effective when used as part of landscape groups, among other shrubs and trees.
Suitable as a front garden decoration.
Used as part of a hedge, as one of the unusual plants.

Where it is recommended to grow

This currant does not require special growing conditions. However, she will delight with beautiful flowers in cases where comfortable conditions are created for her. Blood red currants are recommended to grow in areas where there is good lighting.

Conditions required for ornamental currants

It should be borne in mind that the plant needs high-quality soil - fertile, loose and moist. The shrub will thrive in neutral to slightly acidic soil, but will not do well in heavy clay or damp soil.

Fitting technology

Before planting currants in the ground, you need to improve the soil in advance - feed it with complete mineral or organic fertilizers. The shrub is planted in early spring or autumn. It will require a large hole. It is necessary that its value be twice or three times the size of the root.Seedlings are buried in the ground with a depth of 5-10 centimeters. Immediately after planting, it is necessary to mulch and water the plant several times.

Caring for blood red currants

This variety is known for its low maintenance requirements. The plant will need regular weeding and loosening of the soil. This is done once or twice a year. If you maintain a mulch layer of soil, then this can not be done.

What kind of watering does the crop need

You need to monitor the maintenance of soil moisture. In dry times, currants need to be watered to support the plant. It is especially important to do this during the active growing season.

What to feed for long and bright flowering

For a few years after planting, no fertilizer is required for blood red currant bushes. Every year, once a season, top dressing is carried out, with the exception of the first two years.This procedure is carried out in early spring. This requires the introduction of mineral fertilizers or the introduction of organic matter.

Pest and disease control

Currants are not susceptible to attack by insect pests or diseases, provided that they are properly cared for. Such problems occur only in heavily neglected bushes.

Schemes and technology for the formation of a bush

Pruning starts from the third year, and is done once every three years. With this procedure, old and non-viable branches are removed, as well as those that create crown thickening.

If young shoots are shortened by a third, this will further lead to their intensive growth. Pruning is done at the end of March or the first half of April, removing all the weakest branches.

Wintering

The main difficulty in growing blood red currants is that in order for them to endure the winter well, special care is needed. If this is not done, then in areas with a temperate or cold climate, it the part above the ground will freeze.

For care you need:

When the leaves fall, the ground around the plant is cleared, and the base of the shrub is spud.
The shoots are tilted to the ground and covered with dry leaves.
In the snowy winter they try to cover currants with snow.
You can use spruce branches to cover the bush.
To care for the plant in winter, it is wrapped with non-woven material.

Reproduction methods

The following methods are used for this:

For propagation by cuttings, cut branches 25 centimeters long. They are rooted using a moist substrate, warm. To create suitable conditions, this is done under a transparent cap.
To obtain layering, suitable branches in the middle are sprinkled with earth, then they need to be watered intensively until roots form. After that, the branches are cut off and planted in a suitable place.
You can use seeds. The bush will begin to give them from the third year of existence. They are sown in boxes or pots and germinated. After that, they can be planted in the ground.

Reviews of gardeners about the variety

Nikolai

“Currant pleases with its appearance. Started growing. It blooms beautifully, but does not grow more than one and a half meters. Probably because of the cold climate.”

Tatiana

"Beautiful shrub. I used to see it only with neighbors, then I began to grow it at home. The currant did not deceive my expectations - it pleases me with luxurious flowers. ”