Currant: types and best varieties

Currant is a plant very common in Russia. More often, of course, black berries grow in garden plots, but red, white and even golden berries can also be found. It is difficult to overestimate its benefits - it is so rich in vitamins and minerals. And, of course, the currant taste is one of the most subtle, and the aroma of tea with its leaf is simply crazy. This article discusses in detail the features of various types of currants, as well as its most interesting varieties.

Currant is a fruit shrub belonging to the gooseberry family. The plant is deciduous and perennial, depending on the variety, it can grow up to 2 m in height, turning into a full-fledged tree. The branches are most often brown, the shade of the shoots is light green. The leaves are pubescent below, smooth above. The fruits are black berries, in most varieties having the shape of a ball, with a strong characteristic aroma.

Currant propagates vegetatively, it includes rooting of branches, division of bushes, layering. Seeds can also be propagated, but experienced gardeners do not recommend doing this. Firstly, it is a long time, and secondly, it is not known whether a healthy bush will grow, because all the shortcomings of the variety can be concentrated in the seeds.

The chemical elements in their composition will say about the beneficial qualities of berries without words. They have:

• vitamin B (with different indices);
• a lot of vitamin C;
• vitamins A, E, P, K;
• fructose and sucrose;
• pectins;
• a significant amount of Na, K, Ca, P, Fe, Mg, Pb, S, Mn - almost a third of the periodic table;
• carotene.

Taking into account the fact that these fruits contain many vitamins and mineral elements, it is not surprising that they are actively used by people for medicinal and health purposes. Blackcurrant strengthens the body on all fronts, increases its ability to resist disease.

This is facilitated by vitamin C, which is very abundant in currant fruits. It should be noted that you can satisfy the daily need for this vitamin by eating 50 g of this berry every day.

The same amount is enough to get the right amount of vitamin P. In addition, blackcurrant fruits help improve blood counts, lower sugar levels, and eliminate the symptoms of beriberi. In general, eating the fruits of this plant has a beneficial effect on almost all systems and organs: they dilate blood vessels, expel urine and sweat, are a natural antiseptic, have a positive effect on cardiac activity, and also strengthen blood vessels and capillaries.

This type of currant is in demand for medicinal use, both berries and leaves. Especially "in use" currant leaf in folk remedies, because its healing properties are very high. Blackcurrant leaves are used as a hemostatic, astringent, to combat gout, dermatitis, diathesis. Currant leaf tea is an excellent diuretic that removes not only excess fluid, but also urea salts.

Experts believe that blackcurrant berries are among the most useful. They have found application not only in folk, but also in traditional medicine. For medicinal purposes, an extract from the fruit is used. It is included in multivitamin preparations and complexes, in other preparations. Blackcurrant extract is recommended for postoperative, debilitated patients due to its excellent restorative properties. In addition, the value of the extract from the fruits of black currant is that it enhances the effect of other drugs used, thereby accelerating the recovery of the patient.

Of course, before you start using them, you need to consult a doctor. Regardless of how many vitamins, minerals and other useful substances the plant contains, berries are contraindicated for some people.

These are categories such as:

• persons who are allergic to this culture;
• people with gastrointestinal diseases (high acidity);
• persons with chronic liver diseases;
• prone to thrombosis, whose blood coagulates strongly.

This culture (ribes rubrum) belongs to low, low spreading perennial shrubs. There are 19 varieties of this crop. Compared to the black "sister", the red berry has more compact, but at the same time tall bushes. They have very powerful basal shoots that grow quickly, replacing old branches. Branches at the roots bear fruit for an average of eight years, after which they need to be pruned. If proper care is taken for the bushes, then the crop will ripen on them for about two decades.

This type of currant is the most resistant to cold. In addition, she is undemanding to watering, but she needs quite a lot of light. The berries of this culture are more sour than sweet, it blooms in May, ripens in late July-August. Bushes can reach a height of 2 m. The benefits of currant leaves and fruits have been known for a very long time. Jelly and sauces from it are used as an addition to meat dishes, and sometimes berries are put in soup. 60% of the world currant stocks grow in Russia.

The fact that the fruits contain retinol makes them useful for the growth of new cells, improve vision, and also helps to neutralize free radicals and regulate protein synthesis. In addition to the above, the fruits of this culture contain pectins - substances that directly affect a person's well-being. Pectins improve metabolism, lower blood cholesterol, and help normalize blood flow and digestion.

Also, miracle berries contain a certain amount of tannins, sugar, acids, coumarin, mineral salts, potassium, iron, carotene, iodine. This makes them necessary for cleansing organs and systems from toxins, for improving hematopoietic function and for saturating with energy. Coumarin helps fight blood clots, it is a good diuretic and antiseptic. Iron gives hemoglobin, which is very useful for those people who have it reduced. Vitamin C enhances human immunity and resistance to disease. Vitamins P and A in red currant berries are present even in a larger volume than in black.

Ribes rubrum has medicinal properties such as:

• it is effective against tumors and edema;
• has an analgesic effect;
• helps to reduce blood clotting.

Iodine in the berries of this culture is exactly the same as in persimmon.

Currant juice (as well as smoothies or fresh) has properties such as:

• choleretic and diuretic effect;
• anti-inflammatory, diaphoretic action;
• antipyretic;
• hematopoietic function;
• mild laxative;
• increases immunity and protective functions of the body;
• stimulates appetite;
• quenches thirst;
• strengthens venous and capillary walls.

Currant berries are a natural energy booster, they are often prescribed for older people.Currant juice is often consumed by athletes because it helps to maintain the tone in the body and restore energy.

Currant juice will also be useful for people suffering from pathologies such as:

• chronic colitis;
• enterocolitis;
• urolithiasis;
• nausea;
• bleeding.

Currant leaf brings no less benefit than berries. Firstly, an infusion of them is an excellent drug for beriberi. To make it, one tablespoon of a leaf filled with half a glass of water is enough. The mixture should be heated over low heat for fifteen minutes. You need to use the mixture for 5 days at a dosage of a third of a glass at a time.

In addition, a decoction of a currant leaf (both red and black) is an excellent helper for cystitis and other inflammations of the bladder. For a decoction, both freshly picked and dried leaves in the amount of 50 g will go. They must be brewed with a glass of boiling water and insisted under the lid for four hours. Next, you need to strain the solution and drink at a time 100 ml before meals. During the day, you can take 5 doses of decoction.

Although the berries are rich in acids and vitamin C, and therefore they are contraindicated for people with high acidity of the gastrointestinal tract, the currant leaf can lower this acidity. In order to prepare this preparation, you need to pour 50 g of freshly picked leaves into 1 liter of dry or semi-dry white wine. You need to insist the remedy for two weeks in a non-solar cool place with a temperature not higher than +25 degrees. After this period, the infusion is filtered and taken 50 ml half an hour before meals.

In cooking, currant berries are also in great demand, because their characteristic taste and aroma gives zest to any dish or drink, be it juice, jam, jam, muffin or pie. You can use berries in any form: fresh, frozen, dried, grated with sugar, they all retain their taste and benefits. You can even make oil from the seeds of currant fruits. It is obtained by cold pressing. This is an oily, viscous substance of a rich yellow color, similar to sea buckthorn oil.

This oil is also very useful, it contains a large amount of fatty acids, flavonoids, ascorbic acid, antioxidants. That is why it is widely used in medicines and cosmetic products.

Properties of currant seed oil:

• rejuvenating effect;
• acceleration of wound healing;
• prevention of colds;
• fight against oncological neoplasms.

Although this type of currant is called "white", this is a very conditional name. Berries do not have color as such, they look rather colorless, which, of course, does not reduce their benefits for the human body. Neither the pharmaceutical industry, nor folk recipes, nor cosmetology can do without this plant, since its medicinal properties are truly unique.

The white currant bush is very compact and low sprawling. He does not differ in special height - the maximum that he can reach is one and a half meters.At the same time, its root system is very powerful. The bushes of this type of currant bloom in the last month of spring, and bear fruit in June and July. Berries have a sweet and sour taste, leaving a tart, slightly astringent aftertaste.

There are a fairly large number of popular "white" varieties. These include the "White Versailles", "Smolyaninovskaya", and "Svetlana", and the "Star of the North", "Dutch", "Juterborgskaya", "Diamond".

Thanks to potassium and iron, the heart and blood vessels work better, and vitamin A, which is more than enough in fruits, slows down the aging process, has a positive effect on vision, and neutralizes the negative effects of the environment in the form of radioactive radiation and smoke.

Thanks to vitamin P, blood vessels are cleared of toxins faster, they become more elastic, cholesterol levels decrease, and the work of the adrenal glands improves. So that the memory does not fail, and the nerves are like “ropes”, B vitamins are needed. And there are enough of them in currant fruits. They have a positive effect on memory and reduce stress levels.

White currant berries rarely cause allergies, so they can also be fed to children. It is also used in baking and winemaking. The fruits of white currant are denser than those of black or red, they do not fall off the bush. The plant is unpretentious, the berries ripen regardless of whether the summer turned out to be hot or cool. A handful of the berries of this plant daily will help to tone up and improve well-being in a week.In the heat, these fruits are absolutely indispensable, as they perfectly quench their thirst. General contraindications of white currant are no different from black or red.

Despite the attractiveness of other types of currants, black currants have become the most widespread in our country. The reasons for this were probably the more sugary, dessert taste of the berries, the high percentage of essential oils in the leaves and shoots, and, as a result, a strong and pleasant fragrant aroma. Currant bushes are frost-resistant, this is another plus, because in a significant part of Russian regions, winters are quite severe.

Currant is interesting because it is capable of self-fertility, that is, pollination by its own pollen. However, both gardeners and breeders still advise planting several "representatives" of different currant varieties to increase the quantity and quality of the crop. Few varieties can boast 50% self-pollination. For example, "Nara", "Openwork", "Summer Resident", Temptation", "Pygmy" have a similar percentage. A lower percentage of self-pollination in Binar, Golubichka, Dara Smolyaninova, Debryansk, Temptation, Vigorous, Tamerlane and others.

Let's talk more about the "hits" among blackcurrant varieties.

"Vigorous" - a variety obtained by scientists in Siberia and one of the favorites in the world from the "July" varieties. Its bushes are low, but strongly spreading, with an average density of branches.Plum-shaped fruits, very large in size, weighing 6-7 g, with a sour refreshing taste. Harvest "Vigorous" gives good if there is careful care and annual rejuvenation of plants. More or less resistant to fungus.

Another variety with large and sweet berries - "Black Pearl". Also refers to sprawling species of medium height, there are few leaves on the bush. The berries are distinguished by a characteristic pearl tint, for which the variety got its name. The variety is classified as frost-resistant, early ripening, giving a high yield. Disease resists moderately. You can pick berries both manually and mechanically.

Variety "Titania" was selected in Sweden, to obtain it, the "Altai dessert" currant was crossed with "Musta Tamas". Bush "Titania" is tall, reaches 1.5 m in height. Berries of large size with a dessert taste and a light wine aroma. They ripen in early July. "Titania" grows easily in the coldest latitudes, resistant to both fungus and weather disasters. The variety bears fruit well, 4-5 kg ​​can be removed from one plant. On the basis of this variety, further selection of blackcurrant takes place.

Variety "Selechinskaya-2" - early maturing. The branches grow densely, the bush itself is low-spread and medium-high. The fruits are very large, sweet. "Selechinskaya" can be grown both in southern and rather northern latitudes, it calmly tolerates both cold and heat. The only disease to which it is little susceptible is powdery mildew, but it suffers quite strongly from the effects of insects. In addition, it is demanding on the quality of the soil and the intensity of care.

Variety bred in Ukraine "Pygmy" refers to dessert.The berries ripen in late July-August and have a sweet taste without sourness. "Pygmy" does not care about both heat and cold, the bush has strong and thick branches. The variety is high-yielding, self-fertile, resistant to diseases such as powdery mildew or anthracnose. However, it is very susceptible to septoria, it is also easily affected by a kidney mite.

"Dobrynya" refers to varieties with very large fruits. Despite the fact that the bush is low, compact, low sprawling, it is very generous in yield - up to 3-3.5 kg per plant. The berries are oval in shape, shiny, very fragrant, sweet in taste with pronounced sourness.

If you want your currant to bear fruit with sweet berries, pay attention to "Raisin". This is one of the champions among dessert varieties. The berries ripen in mid-July, but do not crumble even after full ripening. Withering, they become like raisins.

"Raisin" well withstands frost and heat, as well as temperature extremes. It is also one of a small number of blackcurrant varieties that are not very susceptible to both fungus of any kind and bud mites. The only drawback of the variety is the poor rooting of its cuttings.

Variety with a funny name "Lazy person" got it because of the timing of ripening - the berries on it darken only in the first days of August. However, do not rush to conclusions, "rejecting" the variety, because the harvest on it is worth the long wait.

Berries "Lazy" have an unusually large size and sweet taste, in addition, they are very fragrant.The variety is frost-resistant, successfully fights diseases and fungus. However, powdery mildew can severely damage the bushes of this plant. Another problem with Lazy is the unstable harvest. This variety requires careful care.

Ukrainian variety with a "fashionable" name "Black BMW" refers to early and evenly ripening. In early to mid-June, you will be pleased with very large and shiny berries, the heaviest of which reach a weight of seven grams. Their taste is sweet without pronounced sourness, the aroma is strong.

Variety "Constellation" belongs to the early maturing. The bush is straight, low sprawling, medium high. Berries have a typical currant taste. A feature of the variety is its ability to produce crops without watering at all. On the second summer after planting, you can get up to a kilogram of berries from a bush, and up to three in the next, even if the summer turned out to be very hot, and there is no time to water the plant regularly.

In addition to this feature, the Constellation does an excellent job of controlling diseases and pests, the only insect that the bushes can suffer from is the bud mite. The variety is self-fertile and frost-resistant.

Another early variety "Gulliver". It is demanding both to the soil (should be wet) and to the lighting of the site (should be sunny). Its shoots acquire a curved shape as they grow, the leaves on them grow very densely. It is necessary to plant bushes of this variety observing a large distance - not less than one and a half meters, and preferably 2-3 m.The fruits of "Gulliver" are very large, round, sweet with a slight sourness. From flowering to ripening of berries, 60-70 days pass.

The result of joint breeding activities of Holland and Russia was the variety "Dachnik". It was bred to be very cold hardy. Low spreading bushes give an excellent harvest. Fruit "Dachnitsa" brings a large size and sweet taste. The number of berries is so great that the branches can bend to the ground under their weight. This happens at the beginning of July. To avoid this, it is necessary to collect immediately, as soon as they ripen, and provide support structures during aging. Berries ripen unevenly, within two to three weeks. When ripe, they fall off the branches.

"Dachnitsa" not only will not pay attention to frost, she does not care about temperature changes. In addition, she is not very susceptible to the invasion of the kidney mite and disease.

From bushes belonging to the variety "Bagheera", the crop can be harvested the next summer after planting. The variety is interesting in that it does not belong to deciduous; bushes with high growth and strongly spreading branches do not shed their leaves with the advent of cold weather. The berries have a typical currant taste and smell, as well as a dense, tight skin. As a rule, there are a lot of fruits, with the right agricultural technology, you can collect about 5 kg from each bush. "Bagheera" also does not suffer from frost or dry weather, it is normally resistant to pest invasion.

Scottish variety "Big Ben" bears fruit in late June - early July. Fruiting occurs simultaneously, in time is not stretched. The taste of the berries is dessert, sourness is almost not felt.The fruits themselves are quite large in size. If you do not collect them for a long time, they can dry out a little and take on a “raisin” look. Independently from the branches do not crumble.

Shrubs low spreading, upright. The variety requires careful care: accurate and timely pruning, systematic top dressing, regular watering. The bushes are winter-hardy and little susceptible to such misfortune as powdery mildew.

Self-fertile currant variety "Gross" belongs to the middle. The berries are large, sweet and sour, almost seedless. The bushes are very spreading, the leaves are of medium density. The harvest is 3-4 kg per bush. The variety is frost-resistant, little susceptible to the effects of insects and diseases.

Late maturing variety "Hercules" released in 2000. Its bushes are tall, straight, low sprawling. Leaves grow sparsely. The fruits are large and very large in size, semi-matte, there are many seeds, the berries have a dessert taste.

"Hercules" tolerates frost well, is self-fertile, little susceptible to the fungus, but suffers from the invasion of the kidney mite. Another advantage of the variety is its undemanding to the soil.

Early variety "Memory of Michurin" selected in 1959. Bushes of medium spreading with a small number of thick and powerful shoots. Fruits can be medium, can be large. The fruits have a very thin skin, sweet-sour taste. Fruits at once, fruitful. The variety is frost-resistant and self-fertile. The disadvantages include a strong susceptibility to infections and insects, as well as the fact that the fruits are mostly medium-sized.

Demanding medium grade "Leningrad giant" obtained from the crossing of "Stakhanovka Aglaya" with "Exhibition" and "Uncrinkled".This is a tall upright shrub, while relatively sprawling. The distance between landings requires a significant. The fruits are large, glossy black in color, dessert flavor with a strong currant aroma.

The variety "Leningrad Giant" is classified as frost-resistant, self-fertile, high-yielding. Berries can be harvested manually or mechanically. For all its merits, it is very demanding on soil properties and care, is not very resistant to infections and pests, and is also prone to bending branches under the weight of berries, and requires props.

Wild forest blackcurrant has berries with a bright and pronounced taste, reminiscent of gooseberries at the same time. It is quite possible to grow it in a garden plot, the features of agricultural technology are the same as for garden currants.

As for the red currant, breeders pay enough attention to it.

For example, a variety obtained in Latvia Viksne it can be both early ripening and medium - it depends on which subspecies you will grow. The variety was obtained in 1996 from germinated seeds of red currant "Varshevich". The berries are dark red, closer to cherry color, very fragrant, have a sweet and sour taste. They cannot be stored for a long time - they must either be eaten quickly or processed. The variety is classified as high-yielding, with decent care, you can get about 10 kg from each plant. Bushes withstand both severe cold and dry weather. "Viksne" blooms very early, therefore, in order not to lose the harvest, you need to protect the bushes during the flowering period.

As for the variety "Rovada", then these are really tall bushes, fast-growing, with powerful shoots and a high yield. You need to pick berries in mid-July.

The variety was bred in Holland in 1980.It blooms late, so it does not suffer from return frosts. It does not bear fruit all at once. The berries are quite large in size, do not crumble when ripe.

The variety is very demanding on care, soil quality. Its distinguishing feature is the density of growth, so strong pruning and shaping of bushes is necessary every year. The variety is frost-resistant, resistant to most diseases. It grows poorly in a sharply continental climate, as it does not like extreme heat. He needs winters with lots of snow.

In different countries, breeders work tirelessly to get new varieties of currants that are even more productive, even less susceptible to insects and infections, tolerate frost and drought even better, and, of course, with even more impressive berries in taste and size. However, in addition to varieties, there are also so-called hybrids. As a rule, this is the result of crossing currants with gooseberries, its closest relative. This berry is called yoshta.

It was received in the 1970s in Germany, and it should be noted that it was withdrawn for a very long time - about forty years. Yoshta bushes do not have thorns, and the fruits are black with a purple tint. The berries are large, taste like currants and gooseberries, have a Muscat flavor. In Russia, yoshta is known under a different name - ribelaria.

Yoshta is more self-fertile than the gooseberry, but for a better harvest, several of its bushes should be planted nearby. The plant is winter-hardy and little susceptible to diseases. Bushes begin to bear fruit normally in the fifth year, and at 7-8 there is a peak yield, you can get a bucket of berries from each plant. In total, the bush lives for more than two decades.

EMB is an English hybrid, bred relatively recently.Bushes in diameter reach 2 m, and a height of one and a half. The branches are very powerful, do not bend under the weight of the fruit. Plants are not affected by infections, but may suffer from insects.

Another hybrid obtained by Swiss scientists, also as a result of crossing gooseberries with currants, is chrome. Croma bears large black berries with a currant flavor. Shoots are distinguished by strength and strength, do not sag under the weight of berries. The plant is winter-hardy, not susceptible to diseases and is not affected by insects. In addition, it does not die in spring frosts, as it blooms quite late.

The fruits of yochilina, also obtained by crossing currants with gooseberries, are considered the most worthy in taste among hybrids. Its bushes are strongly sprawling and tall. With high-quality agricultural technology, one bush can bring about 10 kg of berries that have a rich black color. Bushes require careful care - constant pruning of young shoots, loosening, weeding, while they do not suffer from diseases or pests at all.

Rekst is another hybrid of currants with gooseberries. Its bushes are not too high (maximum 1 m), the leaves are bright green, the berries are black and purple. In addition to the good harvest that they bring, the bushes look very beautiful, they can be planted in a landscape composition. Rext tolerates both sun and shade well, blooms late, so it does not suffer from return frosts.

Climatic features and soil properties in different regions are important both for the development of currant bushes and for the quantitative and qualitative indicators of the crop. In many cases, these factors are decisive. For example, on lands covering the central and central strip of Russia, only 50 varieties of a plant such as currant can be successfully grown. Be sure to take into account the period of ripening berries.

In accordance with this criterion, the entire number of varieties is divided into several types.

• Early maturing. Their flowering period falls at the beginning of May, and by June 15, the berries are already waiting to be picked from the branches. The group of early-ripening ones includes Summer Resident, Dikovinka, Naslednitsa, Exotica and a number of other varieties.
• Mid-ripening. These varieties bloom between May 10-20, and by July 15 the fruits ripen. The group includes "Bagheera", "Belarusian Sweet", "Vologda", "Daughter", "Crane", "Mermaid", "Peruna", "Green Haze" and some others.
• Medium-late, ripening in the last days of the second month of summer. This includes "Barrikadnaya", "Pearl", "Emerald Necklace", "Titania", other varieties. This group is in great demand among gardeners, because due to natural features they do not freeze out in spring.
• Late varieties, but there are very few of them. Only by August, or rather, by its beginning, the berries darken. Representatives of these particular varieties suffer most from pests and fungi, this is due to the long growing season. Such varieties are "Arcadia", "Lazy", "Altai Late", "Mila", "Tatiana's Day" and "Vigorous".

In Siberia, where, as is well known, severe cold in winter and scalding heat in summer, varieties take root that are intended only for this climatic zone:

• early ripe - "Lama", "Nika";
• mid-season - "Agatha", "Rita", "Fun", "Prestige";
• late-ripening - "Mila" and "Harmony".

For the Moscow region, known for its mild winter weather and warm and often rainy summer, a much larger number of varieties are suitable, and all because this particular weather is most loved by currants. The following group of varieties is most popular with gardeners in the Moscow region: Veloy, Sudarushka, Dobrynya and Vigorous, but this list is far from exhaustive.

You can advise the summer residents of this region to turn their attention to such "currant" representatives.

• From early ripe - "Sevchanka", "Gift of Smolyaninova", "Moscow Black", "Nester Kozin". You should also look at Selechenskaya, Selechenskaya-2 and Zhemchuzhina.
• From mid-season - "Motherland", "Green Haze", "Dubrovskaya", "Oryol Serenade", "Paulinka", "Daughter", "Michurinskaya"
• From late ripening - "Vologda", "Lazy".

In the Urals, the conditions are more severe, in winters it is not only frosty, but also windy, and hot in summer, and drought is a frequent guest. When deciding which currant to plant in the Ural garden plot, you need to take into account all these indicators. It is better to dwell on representatives of a culture with relatively late flowering.

Breeders of the Sverdlovsk region advise:

• when choosing an early ripe currant, you need to look at the Ural Chant, Good Genie, Sibylla, Pygmy, Memory of Michurin;
• from mid-season and mid-late samples, "Fortune", "Globe", "Venus", "Sudarushka", "Prestige" stand out;
• late varieties are represented by Bagira, Slavyanka, Vigorous, Beauty of Lvova.

Also grows well in the Urals "Ural beauty", referring to the forest representatives of the currant.

For information on how to plant a currant bush, see the following video.