Ribes laurifolium 'Mrs Amy Doncaster'

RHS Plant Profile

laurel-leaved currant 'Mrs Amy Doncaster'

Shrubs

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A spreading evergreen shrub with dark-green leathery leaves. In late winter and early spring fragrant, yellow-green flowers are born in pendant clusters, providing a good early season food source for pollinators. Male and female flowers are produced on separate plants so more than one plant is needed for berries. Female plants produce red berries that ripen to black.

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

1-1.5 metres

Max Spread

1.5-2.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 10–20 years
Max Spread: 1.5-2.5 metres
Max Height: 1-1.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand

Moisture: Moist but well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade

Aspect: East–facing or North–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H5

Colour & Scent

Fragrance Flower

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Grossulariaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
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

Easy to grow shrub for sun or partial shade. Works well when trained against a fence or wall.

Propagation

Propagate by semi-hardwood cuttings in summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Low Maintenance
Flower borders and beds
Wall side borders

Pruning

Pruning group 2

Pests

May be susceptible to gall mites, gall midge and aphids

Diseases

May be susceptible to a leaf spot, powdery mildews, coral spot and sometimes honey fungus