Wax Currant

Ribes cereum

Grossulariaceae

• Spokane Native
• Full Sun
• Size: 5’ tall x 5’ wide
• Drought Tolerant: Yes
• Evergreen: no
• Flower Color: white/light pink (April- July)
• Provides food for birds, insects, and mammals
• Clusters of pretty tubular pale pink to white flowers from spring to mid-summer followed by bright red berries. Aromatic foliage with a spicy fragrance. Stems are soft and fuzzy. Light green leaves turn brilliant yellow in fall.

The berries are edible and can be made into jams, jellies, and pies. Flowers are also edible with a sweet taste, excellent as a dessert or salad topping. Native Americans used the fruit for making pemmican and traditional foods. A highly valuable wildlife plant—berries provide food for numerous bird species and small mammals including bears, while tubular flowers are a crucial early-season nectar source for hummingbirds. Attracts bees, butterflies, and moths. 

This very adaptable plant can be used in pollinator gardens, hedgerows, screens, rock gardens, and dry woodland edges. Excellent for erosion control on dry slopes. Compact, mounded form makes it ideal for medium-sized shrub borders and wildlife habitat plantings. Deer resistant and drought tolerant once established.