My what pretty red flowers you have, Ribes speciosum & MY MY, what wicked THORNS! Well armed with heaps of bright red blooms & abundant prickles, this species is one of the most ostentatious in the genus & one of our showiest native shrubs period. In good years, the 4’x4’ shrub is overwhelmed with small tubular blooms in Spring, hanging all along the underside of the stems. It’s especially gorgeous from a distance, because OW, those thorns can get mean. Semi-evergreen with some water very tolerant of drought. With no irrigation, it will lose all of its foliage in Summer & you’ll get a full view of its armor. Some supplemental water in Spring & Fall keeps the leaves around if that’s your preference. A hummingbird magnet, the prickled fruits that follow bring more feathered friends. Very deer resistant, it thrives in sand & clay & is a superlative choice for growing under oaks.

Claire Woods
Propagator