From: ceci@lysator.liu.se (Cecilia Henningsson)
Subject: Re: Alpine Currants - Edible? --Well, sort of.
Date: Sun, 11 Jul 1993 22:41:07 GMT

renzland@govonca.gov.on.ca (Peter Renzland) writes:
> I have a lush bush of Alpine Currants next to the Gooseberry which
> is next to the Red Currant bush whose leaves are all blistered.
> Anuways, this is the third year, and there are quite a few solitary
> orange berries on the Alpine Currant bush.  They are about the size
> of a Red Currant berry, but orange, and they taste a bit bland but
> not bad.

>Are they edible?  

My guess is that by alpine currant you mean Ribes alpinum (a close
relative to the other currants). R. alpinum has edible berries, which
usually aren't eaten because they are, as you observed, rather
bland. R. alpinum is a useful hedging material. It can be clipped into
shape, and is quite tolerant of shade aswell as cold. There are even
male clones on sale which don't have any berries. They won't get
higher than just above 2 meter, though.  --Ceci --