Plant Details

Ribes nigrum

Blackcurrant

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Common names

36 names · 27 languages
EnglishYour language
  • Black Currant[2]
  • Blackcurrant[2]
  • European black currant[1]
Other languages (26)
Dutch
  • Zwarte bes[2]
French
  • Cassis[2]
  • Cassissier[2]
  • Groseillier noir[2]
Armenian
  • Սև հաղարջենի[2]
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
  • 黑醋栗(黑加侖)[2]
Czech
  • rybíz černý[2]
Danish
Estonian
  • must sõstar[2]
Finnish
  • mustaherukka[2]
German
  • Schwarze Johannisbeere[1][2]
  • Schwarze Ribisel[2]
Hungarian
  • fekete ribiszke[2]
Italian
  • Ribes nero[2]
Japanese
  • クロスグリ[2]
Korean
  • 양까막까치밤나무[2]
Latvian
  • Melnā upene[2]
Lithuanian
  • Juodasis serbentas[2]
Mongolian
  • Хар улаагана[2]
Norwegian
Polish
  • Porzeczka czarna[2]
Portuguese
  • Cassis[2]
  • Groselheira-preta[2]
Russian
  • Смородина чёрная[2]
Slovak
  • ríbezľa čierna[2]
Spanish
Swedish
  • Svarta vinbär[2]
Turkish
  • Frenk üzümü[2]
  • frenküzümü[2]
Ukrainian
  • Смородина чорна[2]
Sources & name notes (2)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Ribes nigrum L. ↗

Common names from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20. License: CC BY.

Source records
  • European black currant (EN) — VernacularName.tsv, line 174042; taxon 4SYG6.
  • Schwarze Johannisbeere (DE) — VernacularName.tsv, line 174043; taxon 4SYG6.
[2] Ribes nigrum — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Blackcurrant — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 54430; Ribes nigrum.
  • Black Currant — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 54430; Ribes nigrum.
  • Groselheira-preta — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 54430; Ribes nigrum.
  • Cassissier — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 54430; Ribes nigrum.
  • Cassis — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 54430; Ribes nigrum.
  • Cassis — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 54430; Ribes nigrum.
  • Casis — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 54430; Ribes nigrum.
  • rybíz černý — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 54430; Ribes nigrum.
  • Schwarze Johannisbeere — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 54430; Ribes nigrum.
  • Schwarze Ribisel — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 54430; Ribes nigrum.
  • Solbær — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 54430; Ribes nigrum.
  • Zwarte bes — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 54430; Ribes nigrum.
  • Svarta vinbär — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 54430; Ribes nigrum.
  • Смородина чёрная — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 54430; Ribes nigrum.
  • solbær — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 54430; Ribes nigrum.
  • mustaherukka — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 54430; Ribes nigrum.
  • Porzeczka czarna — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 54430; Ribes nigrum.
  • Juodasis serbentas — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 54430; Ribes nigrum.
  • 양까막까치밤나무 — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 54430; Ribes nigrum.
  • クロスグリ — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 54430; Ribes nigrum.
  • 黑醋栗(黑加侖) — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 54430; Ribes nigrum.
  • 黑醋栗 — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 54430; Ribes nigrum.
  • Frenk üzümü — results[0].names[24]; taxon id 54430; Ribes nigrum.
  • frenküzümü — results[0].names[25]; taxon id 54430; Ribes nigrum.
  • Хар улаагана — results[0].names[26]; taxon id 54430; Ribes nigrum.
  • Смородина чорна — results[0].names[27]; taxon id 54430; Ribes nigrum.
  • must sõstar — results[0].names[28]; taxon id 54430; Ribes nigrum.
  • Սև հաղարջենի — results[0].names[29]; taxon id 54430; Ribes nigrum.
  • Melnā upene — results[0].names[30]; taxon id 54430; Ribes nigrum.
  • 黑茶藨子 — results[0].names[31]; taxon id 54430; Ribes nigrum.
  • Ribes nero — results[0].names[32]; taxon id 54430; Ribes nigrum.
  • fekete ribiszke — results[0].names[33]; taxon id 54430; Ribes nigrum.
  • ríbezľa čierna — results[0].names[34]; taxon id 54430; Ribes nigrum.
  • 黑加仑 — results[0].names[35]; taxon id 54430; Ribes nigrum.
  • Groseillier noir — results[0].names[36]; taxon id 54430; Ribes nigrum.

General information

Scientific name: Ribes nigrum
Accepted name (Kew): Ribes nigrum L. View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1] [2]
Botanical family: Grossulariaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Ribes (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: Blackcurrant
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Shrub
Catalogue size class: Small
Height: 1.80 m
Spread: 1.80 m
Growth rate: Moderate
Foliage: Deciduous

Leaf retention described in the New England flora.

Sources [3]

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 4-8
Soil moisture:
Moist
Soil:
Sand (light) Loam (medium) Clay (heavy)
pH:
Acidic Neutral Alkaline
Light:
Partial shade, Full sun

Uses

Edible parts:
Leaves, Fruit, Tea
Edibility rating:
(5)
Medicinal rating:
(3)
Functions:
Cosmetic use, Dye, Preservative

Description

Vegetables - to be consumed both raw and cooked. The fruit has a wonderfully aromatic flavor. When fully ripe, the fruit is very tasty to eat raw, but it is also often used in pies, jams, etc. The fruit is very rich in vitamin C and has a diameter of about 10 mm, although selected varieties may have larger fruits. The leaves of this plant are used in soups, and the dried leaf can serve as a coffee substitute. Occasionally, they are added to herbal tea blends for an extra flavor.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 01/07
Harvest ends: 15/08

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical familyTaxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 556306; name ID 2426003; Ribes L.. Family column.
    • Taxonomy: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 560764; name ID 2426569; Ribes nigrum L..

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. Catalogue of Life Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Ribes nigrum

    Taxonomic data from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20.

    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: COL 2026-08-20, NameUsage.tsv line 1146403, ID 4SYG6: Ribes nigrum L. (accepted).

    Source checked on .

  3. Native Plant Trust; Go Botany Ribes nigrum — Go Botany
    Supports: Foliage
    Relevant sections
    • Foliage: Leaf duration

    Source checked on .