Blackcurrant Black Down - Ribes nigrum

The Black Down Blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum) is a late variety, producing multiple short clusters of blackish-purple colour, of good taste when picked at ripeness. Its early flowering, from April, can make it sensitive to spring frosts. It is a self-fertile variety offering good yields, and is not very susceptible to rust. Plant from October to March, for a late July harvest.

The Blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum) or Black Gooseberry belongs to the Grossulariaceae family, like Gooseberries. It is a deciduous shrub native to regions ranging from the Pyrenees to central Asia. Cultivated since the 16th century, the Blackcurrant grows spontaneously in the cool woods of northeastern Europe.

The fruits appear on 2-year-old branches and become rarer on 4-year-old and older branches. Harvest when the fruits are fully black and start falling to the ground. Wait for the fruits to fully ripen before harvesting. The 'Black Down' variety is an English variety, resulting from the cross-breeding of Baldwin x Bordtorp. It offers regular production, with firm fruits that do not burst when cooked, perfect for pastries. Their flavor is tangy while being sweet and mild. Blackcurrant is rich in tannins, aromas, vitamins C and C2. It can be consumed fresh in a mixed-berry salad, as juice, syrup, jams or jellies, in pastries (pies, charlottes, and sorbets), or as an accompaniment to savory dishes. It is used in the production of liqueurs and nectars. Blackcurrant can be well preserved by drying or freezing, thus providing a reserve of fruits for the winter.

The Blackcurrant forms a vigorous bush, with upright, sparsely branched tufted habit, reaching a height of 1.50 m (5ft) and a spread of 1 m (3ft). The plant reaches its adult size in three years. It is a very hardy shrub, resistant to temperatures as low as -20°C (-4°F) but sensitive to drought in summer. The leaves, deciduous, are large, flat, with three to five lobes with toothed edges, bright green and pleasantly fragrant when crushed. Leaves, fruits, and buds are intensely fragrant, due to the presence of glands containing essential oils, used in perfumery. The bark is smooth and reddish on young branches and darkens with age.

Flowering takes place in spring, in the form of small bell-shaped flowers often not very visible. It is followed by the formation of large berries with black and shiny skin, gathered in long clusters. Some varieties of Blackcurrant are self-fertile, others require the proximity of another variety for good pollination. The Black Down variety is self-fertile but does not pollinate the 'Noir de Bourgogne' variety as their flowering periods are different. It is important in a Blackcurrant plantation, as in any plantation, to alternate varieties and species, when space allows: pollination will be favored, even if the variety is self-fertile, and the risk of diseases will be limited. In the garden, create a small edible hedge by mixing Blackcurrants, Gooseberries, and Raspberries, for example, or plant the Blackcurrant within a flower shrub border.