Wax Currant
Ribes cereum var. cereum
Family: Saxifrage (Saxifragaceae)
Leaves: Deep green, sticky leaves
Flowers: Pink flowers have five lobes
Blooms: June, July; berries in late August and September; LV to top of peak
Bark:
Habitat: Dry, gravelly, or rocky ridges, sunny, disturbed areas
Comments: This is a large bush (1/2 to 4 feet high). The stems are thornless, but the related gooseberry does have thorns. The pink-red berries are edible and attract both birds and insects. We can eat them raw, cooked, or sun-dried. Both currant and gooseberry (R. roezlii) were used by Native Americans to make Pemmican, a deer-fat based food high in calories and nutrition. It was used as a food source when traveling and during winter in many areas of America. The wood was used for arrows.
Photo: © Colin Barrows