Fruit

Ribes odoratum Wendl.f.

A spineless, erect, deciduous shrub with ovate, 3- to 5-lobed leaves, to 8cm long, turning red and purple in autumn, and pendant racemes of tubular, fragrant yellow flowers, to 5cm long, in spring, followed by spherical black fruit, to 1cm across.  To 2m.  [Hilliers’, Hortus].  

Ribes rubrum ‘Bertin’s Seedling no. 31’

‘Bertin Seedling’ is briefly mentioned in Card’s Bush Fruits, listed under Red and White Currants: ‘Appears in the Catalogue of the American Pomological Society for 1869’. [Card – Bush Fruits p.304/1920]. This is the only reference I have found.

Ribes rubrum ‘Bertin’s Seedling no. 9’

‘Bertin Seedling’ is briefly mentioned in Card’s Bush Fruits, listed under Red and White Currants: ‘Appears in the catalogue of the American Pomological Society for 1869’. [Card – Bush Fruits p.304/1920]. This is the only reference I have found. See also Ribes rubrum L.

Ribes rubrum ‘Cherry’

‘Bunches, short, with few berries. Berries, very large, of a deep red colour, and acid flavour, more so than the Red Dutch. It is the largest Red Currant. The bush is of a dwarf habit, with strong, short, and stout stunted-looking shoots; and it has the objectionable practice of sending up a gross shoot from the bottom, which almost invariably breaks off with the wind. The foliage is large, of thick substance, and dark green. The fruit ripens rather early.’ [Hogg – Fruit Manual p.318/1884]. See also Ribes rubrum L.

Ribes rubrum ‘Raby Castle’

‘Bunches, very long, more so than those of Red Dutch. Berries, larger, brighter red, and rather more acid. The bush has a rapid and unusually tall habit of growth. Shoots, reddish brown. Leaves, shining above, dark bluish green, very rugose, and darker than those of any other variety. Flowers tinged with red. This is a valuable currant; the fruit ripens later, and hangs longer than that of any other variety; but it is not an abundant bearer, and on account of its strong, vigorous growth, Mr. Barron recommends it as very suitable for growing as standards or large bushes.’ [Hogg – Fruit Manual p.321/1884].  See also Ribes rubrum L.

Ribes rubrum L.

‘Spiny deciduous shrub with alternate, lobed leaves and racemes of small flowers in spring, followed by small, edible red or white fruits. To. 1.5m. [RHSD, Hortus].

Ribes sativum Syme is often said to be the parent of red and white currants, but others regard R. sativum as a variety of R. rubrum. The RHS Dictionary states: ‘These [R. rubrum and R. sativum] are the two main species that include all the red and white currants, but other species have been used in breeding modern cultivars, including R. petraeum, R. vulgare and R. multiforum. All are native to Europe although R. rubrum and R. petraeum are also found in Asia.’ [RHSD/1999].

Rubus idaeus L. subsp. vulgatus

Deciduous shrub, sometimes prickly, the leaves divided with 3-5 leaflets, toothed, downy underneath, the flowers white in racemes, followed by edible red fruits. To 2m. [RHSD, Hortus]. 

Rubus idaeus subsp. vulgatus ‘Common Red’

See Rubus idaeus L. subsp. vulgatus for a description. The ‘Common Red Raspberry’ is the wild type.

Rubus idaeus subsp. vulgatus ‘Common White’

See Rubus idaeus L. subsp. vulgatus for a description. The ‘Common White Raspberry’ is probably the wild type.

Rubus idaeus subsp. vulgatus ‘Fastolff’

A Rubus idaeus L. subsp. vulgatus cultivar. ‘Fruit large, roundish-conical, bright purplish red, and of excellent flavour. A summer bearer.’ [Hogg – Fruit Manual p.263/1860].

Rubus idaeus subsp. vulgatus ‘Red Antwerp’

A Rubus idaeus L. subsp. vulgatus cultivar. ‘Fruit large, roundish, inclining to conical, of a deep crimson colour, very fleshy, and with a fine brisk flavour and fine bouquet. There are several forms of this variety differing more or less from each other both in the fruit and the canes. The true old Red Antwerp produces vigorous canes, which are almost smooth.’ [Hogg – Fruit Manual p.265/1860].

Rubus idaeus subsp. vulgatus ‘White Antwerp’

A Rubus idaeus L. subsp. vulgatus cultivar.‘Fruit large, conical, of a pale yellow colour, and with a fine, mild, sweet flavour. It produces pale-coloured spiny canes.’ [Hogg – Fruit Manual p.265/1860].

Sambucus nigra L.

Fully hardy, upright bushy shrub with pinnate leaves, to 25cm long, composed of 5 toothed, ovate leaflets, and flattened panicles, to 20cm across, of small, musk-scented, white flowers in summer, followed by edible, spherical, glossy black fruit.  [RHSE, Hortus, Hilliers’].

Santalum acuminatum (R.Br.) A.DC.

An erect shrub or small tree with lance-shaped leaves and bumerous small flowers in mostly terminal panicles, followed by bright red, rarely yellow, edible sweet fruit, 25mm long.  The seeds or nuts are also edible.  To 6m.  Member of the Sandalwood family from southern and more arid parts of Australia, partially parasitic on the roots of other plants. [FNSW, Wrigley].

Shepherdia argentea (Pursh) Nutt.

Fully hardy, slow-growing, upright, bushy, deciduous shrub, often tree-like, with oblong leaves, to 5cm long, and small yellow-green flowers in spring, followed on female plants by ovoid, sour-tasting, bright red fruit.  To 4m.  [RHSE, Hortus, Hilliers’].  A useful hedging species.