Alpine currant is a deciduous shrub that belongs to the Currant genus of the Gooseberry family. It is used in landscape design to create hedges, sculptures, and for decorating private and public areas.
Description
The Latin name for alpine currant is Ribes alpinum. This is a slow-growing shrub with an annual growth of approximately 10-15 cm. It reaches its final height in 10-20 years. It has deep roots that are sensitive to soil density. Alpine currant is not a light-loving plant; it grows best in partial shade or shade. In a sunny location it grows well in moist soil.
Description of alpine currant and its photo:
- shrub approximately 1-2 m in height and width;
- branches are straight, elastic, dense, compactly located;
- the leaves are small, up to 4 cm long, frequent, three-lobed, single-toothed along the edge, dark green;
- the surface of the leaves is shiny, covered with glandular bristles;
- their reverse side is smooth, light in color;
- flowers greenish-yellow;
- pedicels also with glandular setae;
- racemose inflorescences, include from 15 to 30 male and 1-5 female flowers;
- fruits are berries from 6 to 8 mm in diameter, pink in color, and have a mealy taste.
Alpine currants bloom in May for 1.5-2 weeks, the berries ripen in July-August.They stay on the bush for a long time, right up to frost. They are very decorative against the background of green foliage and are quite edible, but not very tasty. Nevertheless, they are sometimes used for making juices along with other berries or added to fruit preparations. The age of the fruiting branches of this type of currant is 5-6 years, so they are then cut off and replaced with new ones.
Alpine currants are very decorative. It can decorate the area throughout the warm season. In summer it is green, in autumn its leaves turn golden-green or ocher-green, which gives the plant a particularly elegant appearance.
Varieties
Alpine currant has been known as an ornamental plant since the end of the 16th century. Since that time, many garden forms have been developed: classic, decorative with yellow and red leaves, dwarf. In Russia, the most common variety is alpine currant Schmidt. This is a winter-hardy, shade-tolerant, drought- and wind-resistant and very durable variety - the plant can live up to 40 years. Excellent for urban landscaping, as it thrives on polluted streets and near tall trees.
Alpine currant Schmidt is not demanding on soils, but prefers well-drained, loose and nutritious loams and sandy loams with a high humus content. The soil reaction is neutral or slightly acidic. At the same time, on too fertile soils, currants lose their bush compactness. It does not tolerate waterlogging; in soils with stagnant moisture, it is affected by fungal diseases and dies.
You can see what Schmidt currants look like in this video:
The next variety of alpine currant that is popular is Golden (Aureum). This is a dwarf form, the height of its bush does not exceed 1 m. It is unpretentious to growing conditions and is resistant to diseases, but differs from the previous form in that it does not tolerate shading. Its young leaves are golden in color, but this currant is especially decorative during flowering, when the plant is covered with a mass of pale yellow inflorescences.
Another variety of alpine currant - form Pumilum (Pumila). The plants are low, no more than 1.5 m, dense and have a spherical crown with a diameter of up to 0.6 m. The shoots are curved, strewn with small carved decorative leaves. Pumila currant is winter-hardy and is characterized by high rooting of cuttings. It begins to bloom only at the age of 5.
And finally, cultural form Laciniata. Its bushes are tall, the leaves are incised and jagged. This currant demonstrates excellent rooting of cuttings.
Landing
Alpine currants are propagated by seeds, layering or cuttings. Of all three methods, the easiest way to propagate it is by cuttings. To do this, in early spring, even before the buds open, woody shoots from last year or basal shoots about 20 cm long are cut from the bushes. They are rooted in loose, light substrate in greenhouses or containers. The optimal soil composition for this plant is a mixture of humus, sand and turf soil in a ratio of 1 to 1. In autumn, the bushes are pruned and planted in a permanent place.
To propagate currants by seeds, they are sown in spring or autumn. Before this, the seeds are stratified. They are sown in open ground in a separate bed. The seeding depth is 0.5 cm. After sowing, the soil surface is sprinkled with a thin layer of peat. With good care, seedlings become suitable for planting next spring.To create layering, 2-year-old shoots are selected, dug in, and when they take root, they are separated from the bush and transplanted to a new place.
You can plant seedlings from March until late autumn, even in summer. Seedlings grown in containers are best suited for this purpose. They quickly take root and adapt to a new place, since their roots are not damaged.
Currant plants are placed in ordinary plantings at a distance of 2-2.5 m, and in order to create a hedge - at a distance of 1.5-1 m from each other. Before planting, humus is added to the holes in the amount of 1-2 buckets, 20-30 g of potassium salt and 150-200 g of superphosphate. The seedlings are inspected, broken or diseased branches are cut off, healthy ones are shortened by 1/3, roots that are too long and bare are also cut off, the remaining ones are dipped in a clay mash or dusted with Kornevin. After this, the plants are buried in the soil 5-7 cm below the root collar, watered with 1-2 buckets of water, and the soil is compacted. It is recommended to place the seedling at an angle of 45°C - this way it will grow better.
You can see how to plant currants in this video:
Care
After planting alpine currants, caring for them consists of watering, fertilizing, loosening the soil, shaping, and protecting them from diseases. Water the bushes frequently until they take root; young ones - moderately or rarely (depending on the weather); adults do not need to be watered. While the plants are growing, the ground around them is weeded, removing weeds. When the currants grow, weeding is no longer required. Feed in early spring and autumn, adding humus, manure and ash under each bush. Then the ground is loosened. Complex mineral fertilizers are applied in April and at the end of flowering.
Bushes are trimmed in the spring, before sap flows. removing all old or disease- and pest-affected branches, as well as those that thicken the bush. They are cut to the very base. Then the branches are leveled in height and the bush is given the desired shape. Large sections can be sprinkled with ash, or garden varnish or paint can be applied to them. If necessary, additional shaping is carried out in the summer, removing excess green mass.
Alpine currants can be affected by rust, terry, spotting, and can be attacked by aphids, sawflies, scale insects and spider mites. They are destroyed with fungicides and insecticides. To prevent fungal diseases, bushes are sprayed with Fitosporin, tobacco and soap solutions.
It is recommended to cover the trunks of young plants in the first 2-3 years of their life for the winter to protect them from frost damage. To do this, currant trunks are wrapped in 1-2 layers of burlap.
Use in landscape design
In landscape design, Schmidt's alpine currant is used to form neat hedges, but it also looks good in group plantings on lawns and can decorate any other area, for example, an orchard. Schmidt's currant lends itself well to pruning and quickly grows leaves; it can be used to form both simple geometric shapes and topiary.
Because of this, other crops may suffer if they are placed too close.This rule does not apply to currants grown as tapeworms or as part of group compositions.
Conclusion
Alpine currant is a valuable shrub that is used today in landscape design to create hedges and decorate plots. It looks great in almost any type of planting, single or group. The main advantages of this currant are considered to be tall growth, dense branches, bright carved foliage, and in summer and autumn - golden inflorescences and red fruits contrasting with the foliage. This ornamental plant does not require special care, so even an inexperienced gardener can cope with its cultivation.
