woodland shrub

Red-flowering Currant

Ribes sanguineum

Native to California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington and southern Canada

California Coast Ranges to British Columbia and Benewah Co, Idaho

Light Full sun to shade Sun tolerance
Moisture Dry to moist Moisture preference
Zones 5–10 Cold to heat range
Bloom Feb–May Flowering time
Height up to 12 ft to 3.7 m
Life cycle Perennial Annual to perennial

In the garden

A woodland shrub for sun through shade and dry to moist soil. Its white flowers peak in April. At up to 12 ft, it needs room in shade gardens and woodland edges. Hardy in USDA zones 5–10.

Growing conditions

Light

Full sun Partial shade Full shade

Moisture

Dry Moist Wet

Hardiness zones

Find your zone:

When it blooms

The Red-flowering Currant's white flowers bloom February to May, peaking in April. This spring display draws bees and flower flies.

Red-flowering Currant blooms white, red & pinkFoliage

Pollinators & wildlife

Bees Yellow-faced Bumble Bee

also Western Honey Bee, Black-tailed Bumble Bee, Red-belted Bumble Bee +24 more
Fuzzy-Horned Bumble Bee, Orange-legged Furrow Bee, Yellow-fronted Bumble Bee, Vancouver Bumble Bee, Agapostemon texanus, Nearctic Bumble Bee, Blue Orchard Bee, Sitka Bumble Bee, Lucorum-group Bumble Bees, Western Blue Orchard Bee, Red Mason Bee, Buff-tailed Bumble Bee, Red-tailed Bumble Bee, Early Bumble Bee, Common Carder Bumble Bee, Hairy-footed Flower Bee, Bohemian Cuckoo Bumble bee, Tree Bumble Bee, Tawny Mining Bee, Partly-haired Miner Bee, Forest Cuckoo Bumble bee, Habropoda cineraria, Valley Carpenter Bee, Pacific Digger Bee
Flower flies Greater Bee Fly

also Large-tailed Aphideater, Western Loopwing Aphideater, Eurasian Smoothwing +1 more
Williston's Bumble Fly
Hummingbirds Anna's Hummingbird also Rufous Hummingbird, Calliope Hummingbird
Also visited by
- Beetles:
  
  Asian Lady Beetle, Two-spotted Lady Beetle +1 more
  Western Polished Lady Beetle
- Butterflies: California Pipevine Swallowtail, Margined White

Butterflies that use this plant

Documented host and nectar records. Each links to a planting guide for that butterfly.

Pipevine swallowtailnectar

Full plant details

Where it grows

Habitat: WoodlandThe wild plant community it grows in.
Native range: California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington and southern CanadaUnited States (4): CA, ID, OR, WA. Canada (1): BC. Where it grows wild on its own, by state and province.
Native distribution: California Coast Ranges to British Columbia and Benewah Co, IdahoThe same native range, usually more exact than the state list, and often noting where it has spread beyond it.

Growing conditions

Light: Full sun to shadeHow much sun it takes, from full sun to full shade.
Moisture: Dry to moistThe soil dampness it prefers, from dry to wet.
Hardiness zones: USDA 5–10 · Canadian 3–9The cold-to-heat climate range it survives.
Soil: Moist to drier, well-drained soilsThe soils it grows in naturally.
Soil texture: Light to heavy (sandy to clay)The soil grade it prefers, from sand to clay.
Soil pH: 6.0–7.5The acidity to alkalinity it tolerates (7 is neutral).
Soil quality: MediumHow rich a soil it needs. Many natives prefer lean soil and flop in rich beds.
Water use: MediumHow thirsty it is, a rough guide to how often to water.
Salinity tolerance: NoneHow well it copes with salty soil, near roads or the coast.
Lime (CaCO₃) tolerance: MediumHow well it copes with chalky, lime-rich soil.

Growth & form

Height: up to 12 ft (to 3.7 m)Typical mature height.
Spread: ~8 ft (2.5 m)How wide one plant gets, a guide to spacing.
Life cycle: PerennialWhether it lives a single season (annual), two (biennial), or returns for years (perennial).
Growth rate: ModerateA relative ranking versus other plants of the same type (USDA), not an absolute rate.
Shape: Semi-ErectIts overall silhouette.
Root depth: 16+ in (41+ cm)How far the roots reach, a guide to drought resilience and transplanting.

Flowers, foliage & fruit

Type: ShrubWhat kind of plant it is.
Bloom: Feb–MayWhen it flowers.
Flower color: White, Red, PinkThe bloom color, or colors.
Fruit/Seeds: ripens Jan–OctThe seed or fruit it sets after flowering.
Toxicity: None knownWhether any part is poisonous to people or pets.

Propagation & seed

Cold stratification: Required (cold, moist)Whether seed needs a cold, moist spell before it will germinate.
Propagation: Bare root, container, cuttings, seedHow to start new plants.
Seed: ~0.3 million seeds per poundNotes on the seed and how to sow it.
Seed spread rate: ModerateHow readily it self-sows. Slow or none means well-behaved, not a spreader.
Seedling vigor: MediumHow strongly young seedlings establish.
Vegetative spread: NoneWhether it creeps outward or stays put in a clump.