Ribes nigrum 'Ebony' (B)
blackcurrant 'Ebony'
This is a high yielding cultivar producing very large, juicy fruits from early July onwards. It is a particularly sweet blackcurrant that can be eaten straight from the bush when fully ripe and also used for all culinary purposes. Fairly compact bushy plants reach a height and spread of 1.20m (4ft). Shows good resistance to mildew. Blackcurrants are self-fertile and have clusters of insignificant yellow-green flowers in spring.
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Size
Ultimate height
1–1.5 metresTime to ultimate height
2–5 yearsUltimate spread
1–1.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drainedpH
Acid, Neutral, AlkalineColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Green | Green | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Green | Black | ||
| Autumn | ||||
| Winter |
Position
- Full sun
- Partial shade
Aspect
East–facing or North–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H6Botanical details
- Family
- Grossulariaceae
- Native to the UK
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Bushy
- Genus
Ribes can be deciduous or evergreen shrubs, sometimes spiny, with simple, usually palmately lobed leaves and small tubular or bell-shaped, solitary or racemose flowers borne in spring or summer, followed by juicy, sometimes edible berries
- Name status
Accepted
How to grow
Cultivation
Blackcurrants prefer a sunny site with well-drained but moisture-retentive soil, but will cope in most other soil conditions and tolerate light shade. Mulch annually with well-rotted manure or compost and apply a general purpose fertiliser in spring. Please see our blackcurrant cultivation page for more growing tips.
Propagation
Propagate by hardwood cuttings
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- Cottage and informal garden
- Wildlife gardens
- Edible fruit
Pruning
Prune in winter, blackcurrants fruit best on younger wood so aim to remove up to one quarter of the oldest stems at ground level to encourage new growth from the base.
Pests
May be susceptible to aphids, blackcurrant gall midge and blackcurrant big bud mite
Diseases
May be susceptible to a leaf spot, powdery mildews, coral spot and sometimes honey fungus
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