What is this shrub or tree? -- IS IT CURRANT/RIBES?

applestar · Sun Apr 28, 2013 6:58 pm

I'm almost sure I asked about this before, but cannot find the thread and cannot remember if it was positively identified.

I'm thinking this is its 4th year -- initially looked like a perennial of some sort. But this year, it is sporting some flowers:

cynthia_h · Mon Apr 29, 2013 1:08 am

The leaves look pelargonium-esque. But that's all I can offer; sorry....

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

rainbowgardener · Mon Apr 29, 2013 10:54 am

It is interesting, because the top leaves look quite a bit different from the bottom leaves. Mulberry is one of the few things I know that does that:

But while your bottom leaves look a bit mulberry-ish, none of the mulberry leaves look like your top ones.

So, sorry, I'm no help either!

applestar · Mon Apr 29, 2013 11:31 am

I thought it looked like an annual geranium when it first showed up, too, except that it kept coming back and growing an obviously woody (as in arboreal woody, not the corky toughened geranium stem) trunk.

!potatoes! · Tue Apr 30, 2013 7:12 pm

ribes.

that long spray of flowers says currant. yellow flowers...clove currant, maybe?

applestar · Tue Apr 30, 2013 8:15 pm

Uh oh, really? ...not supposed to have one of those because of the Pine Barrens.....

!potatoes! · Tue Apr 30, 2013 8:37 pm

send it me if you have to.

I'm not supposed to have them either, but I'd help you out anyway.

Jardin du Fort · Tue Apr 30, 2013 8:48 pm

If that is indeed what it is (clove currant) I believe the ban has been lifted. I don't know for sure, but read a comment on another site that said so.....

!potatoes! · Tue Apr 30, 2013 9:45 pm

most of those rules are state-by-state. lots of nurseries still have long lists of where they can't ship ribes to.

I'm gonna go double-check my state laws on the subject:

no, it's still illegal here. all plants to be destroyed. no one can ship or bring them in. it's a dumb law for here.

regardless, the thing in the OP is definitely a currant of some sort, and I'm sure someone who can grow such things legally will come along and agree so that I don't have to incriminate myself too badly.

applestar · Tue Apr 30, 2013 10:43 pm

OK, edited the title of the topic.
I'd like confirmation, but may have to make an "executive decision" with or without

Anyone know if it has to be uprooted -- I.e. ENTIRE plant needs to be destroyed?

!potatoes! · Wed May 01, 2013 6:41 am

check out your state laws...I just checked nj stuff, it looks like european black currant is verboten, there's a couple counties where red currants and gooseberries are okay, and it's possible that all other currants might not be regulated? check it out.

I'd love it if my state didn't just have a blanket refusal to allow anything in the genus.

JONA878 · Sun May 05, 2013 6:12 pm

For what it's worth...if it was in my garden over here..I would say it was a current of one sort or another.

applestar · Sun May 05, 2013 10:09 pm

Thanks JONA, and thanks potatoes and jardin

I guess I'll dig deeper and find out if I can keep it. It's in the kids' garden that is turning into a fruit garden, so it would be fun if it can stay.

The fact that it's here -- it must be a bird-planted volunteer, ergo, there must be a plant somewhere near....

applestar · Sun Jun 09, 2013 3:15 pm

Fruits developing....

applestar · Sat May 24, 2014 5:30 am

Did I mention that the fruits ripened red last year? -- so I think we're OK

Here it is, bearing many more fruit trusses this year

applestar · Thu Jul 30, 2015 6:38 am

I'm almost positive I took a photo of this shrub in fruit -- I'll have to look for it later.... Here is a collage of the fruits harvested earlier in June at the same timeframe as strawberries, raspberries, mulberries and blueberries