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Chaparral Currant

Ribes malvaceum

shrub View on Calscape

Care

Sun

part shade, full shade

Water

very low

Soil

well-drained; dry shade tolerant

Size

3–8ft tall , 3–6ft wide

Bloom

Oct-Feb · pink

Foliage

Deciduous

Deer

Resistant

Container

Friendly

Flowers

Prized

Edible

Berries eaten fresh or cooked

Native Range

California Coast Ranges from Mendocino to San Diego

Drooping clusters of pink flowers during fall and winter

Blooms in fall/winter when little else is flowering; dry shade specialist

Care Guide

Planting

Plant your chaparral currant in fall or winter in a spot with full sun or part shade - it's flexible. It needs well-draining soil and tolerates dry shade, so avoid areas that stay wet; if your soil is heavy clay, amend it with coarse sand or gravel. Space it 3–4 feet apart since it grows 3–8 feet tall. This native shrub is naturally adapted to the Bay Area's chaparral and oak woodlands, so it'll establish readily in similar garden conditions.

After Planting

Water twice monthly during your first summer to help it establish, then taper off - once established, this plant thrives on very low water and may only need irrigation in the driest years. Chaparral currant is deciduous and will drop its leaves in summer as part of its natural drought adaptation; don't panic or overwater it. The #1 mistake is watering too much, which causes root rot in this dry-loving plant. Prune only as needed after flowering (winter through spring) to shape it; this is an easygoing native that doesn't demand much attention once established.

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