🍒 Red Currant
Ribes rubrum
Shrub
☀️ Sun
Partial shade to full sun (tolerates more shade than black currant)
💧 Water
Moderate; consistent moisture preferred
🗺️ Zones
3–8
📏 Spacing
3–4 ft
📐 Height
3–5 ft
🧪 Soil pH
6.0–6.5
⏱️ Maturity
2–3 years to first significant harvest
Key:🤝 Grows well together❌ Keep apart☀️ Sun needs💧 Water🗺️ Hardiness zone
🤝 Companions (8)
Good companion — Red Currant and Black Currant grow well together.
Good companion — Red Currant and Gooseberry grow well together.
Good companion — Red Currant and Garlic grow well together.
Good companion — Red Currant and Chives grow well together.
Good companion — Red Currant and Marigold grow well together.
Good companion — Red Currant and Tomato grow well together.
Good companion — Red Currant and Hyssop grow well together.
Good companion — Red Currant and Borage grow well together.
⚠️ Keep Apart (2)
Keep apart — these plants do not grow well together.
⚠️ White Pine (blister rust host)
Keep apart — these plants do not grow well together.
📝 Growing Notes
Red currants are more shade-tolerant than most fruiting shrubs and can be fan-trained against north-facing walls, making them exceptionally versatile in small gardens. They make ideal companions to black currants and gooseberries in mixed berry plantings. Currant aphids that cause distinctive leaf curling are the most common pest; garlic and hyssop planted nearby help deter them.