Grossulariaceae Archives • Alexander S. Kunz Photography

Ribes aureum var. gracillimum

Common name: Golden Currant, Clove Currant, Pruterberry, Buffalo Currant

2022/05/28

Ribes aureum var. gracillimum (Golden Currant) twig with flowers, Ramona, California; February 2022.

In February, while hiking for the first time on the lovely Fry-Koegel Trail, and not far from the starting point either, I came upon an unknown shrub — given its close proximity to houses I was skeptical that it was a native of course, but the “Seek” app spit out the name Ribes aureum aka Golden Currant almost immediately, and confirmed that it was indeed a native.

Common name: Fuchsia-flowered Gooseberry, Garnet Gooseberry

2022/03/162022/02/24

Ribes speciosum (Garnet Gooseberry) with many showy flowers, Black Mountain Open Space Park, California; March 2022.

Photographic plant portrait for Ribes speciosum, the showy (and heavily armored!) Fuchsia-flowered or Garnet Gooseberry, together with personal observations, links and etymology.

Common name: White-flowering Currant, White Chaparral Currant

2022/02/192021/01/10

The delicate inflorescence of Ribes indecorum (White-flowering Currant), Blue Sky Ecological Reserve, Poway, California. January 2019.

The delicate Ribes indecorum (common names White-flowering Currant, White Chaparral Currant, Whiteflower Currant) is one of the first harbingers of spring in the chaparral and sage scrub. It quite reliably blooms soon after the first winter rains arrive and when temperatures drop.