Ribes cucullatum
Ribes cucullatum
Safety & Hazards
None known
Cultivation Details
Ribes cucullatum is a fairly hardy plant, able to tolerate temperatures falling to around -15°c, perhaps even down to -20°c for short periods. In the south of its range it can be covered by snow for up to 8 months of the year[1]. It grows in areas with almost year-round rainfall - short dry periods are possible, though generally not lasting for longer than 1 month[1]. Prefers a position with some protection against direct sunlight, generally growing under vegetation that filters about 20 - 40 % of the light[1]. The plant grows in the wild in water or it has its roots growing close to a permanent water course[1]. White pine blister rust, caused by the pathogen Cronartium ribicola, is a fungal disease that is native to Asia but has spread via human activity to many other regions, where it has become more virulent. It has a complex life-cycle that requires both currants (Ribes species) and white pines (Pinus species of the section Strobus) for the disease to spread. Whilst Ribes species can generally live with the disease (it has an annual life-cycle and infects the leaves only) Pinus species can be devastated by it (it becomes perennial and spreads through the tree). Young pines are far more susceptible than mature trees. In America the growing of certain Ribes species is banned in some areas in order to protect plantations of white pine species. Plants in this genus tend to be notably susceptible to honey fungus[2].
Propagation
Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a cold frame. Stored seed requires 4 - 5 months cold stratification at between -2 to 0°c and should be sown as early in the year as possible[3, 4]. Under normal storage conditions the seed can remain viable for 17 years or more. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter, planting them out in late spring of the following year Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 10 - 15cm with a heel, mid summer in a frame[5, 3]. Cuttings of mature wood of the current year's growth, preferably with a heel of the previous year's growth, late autumn to late winter in a cold frame or sheltered bed outdoors[5, 2]. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-21. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Ribes+cucullatum>
Pollinators
Data unavailable
References
- [1]ChileFlora — http://www.chileflora.com/index.html ↩︎Not realy a flora, but a lovely site with lots of helpful information for the gardener and an abundance of excellent photos covering over 2,000 species of Chilean plants.
- [2]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
- [3]The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. — Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. · Athens Ga. Varsity Press · 1987 · ISBN 0942375009 ↩︎A very detailed book on propagating trees. Not for the casual reader.
- [4]Growing from Seed. Volume 4. — Bird. R. (Editor) · Thompson and Morgan. · 1990 · ISBN - ↩︎Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. A good article on Yuccas, one on Sagebrush (Artemesia spp) and another on Chaerophyllum bulbosum.
- [5]Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. — Sheat. W. G. · MacMillan and Co · 1948 · ISBN - ↩︎A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
- [6]Phenolics from the Patagonian currants Ribes spp.: Isolation, characterization and cytoprotective effect in human AG — Felipe Jiménez-Aspee; Cristina Theoduloz et al · 2016 ↩︎
- [7]Anthocyanin profiles in south Patagonian wild berries by HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS — Antonieta Ruiz; Isidro Hermosín-Gutiérrez et al · 2013 · ISBN DOI: 10.1016/j.fo ↩︎