Plant Data Sheet

 

 Stinky currant / Ribes bracteosum  

 

Range                                                                        

Alaska to California, mostly west Cascades but occasionally in the east Cascades (1)

 

Climate, Elevation

Moist to wet locations, low to subalpine elevations (2)

 

Local occurrence

Stream banks, floodplains, shorelines, thickets, avalanche tracks (3)

 

Habitat preferences

Moist forests (1)

 

Plant strategy type/successional stage

Seral stages, dappled shade

 

Associated species

Rubus spectablis, Rubus parviflorus, Sambucus racemosa, Vaccinium spp., Alnus rubra, Acer macrophyllum, Tsuga heterophylla and Pseudotsuga menziesii

 

Collection restrictions or guidelines

Flowers in May (4), sown soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a cold frame (4)

 

Seed germination

3 months cold stratification at 2 – 5º C (4)

 

Vegetative regeneration

Cuttings (4)

 

Seed life

Under “normal” storage conditions, can be viable for 17 years or more (4)

 

Recommended seed storage conditions

Cold storage

 

Propagation recommendations

For seedlings, put seedlings into individual pots, grow in a cold frame for first winter, plant out in late spring of following year.  For cuttings, 10-15 cm. of mature wood of current year’s growth, preferably with a heel of previous year’s growth, November to February in a cold frame or sheltered bed outdoors (4)

 

Soil or medium requirements

Sandy, loamy and clay soils, moist soil; prefers acidic soil (4)

 

Installation form

Containerized plants from seed or cuttings

Recommended planting density

 

Care requirements after installed (water weekly, water once etc.)

Should be planted in moist soil

 

Normal rate of growth or spread; lifespan

 

 

 

Sources cited

(1)   Tuason, T.  2003.  Central Washington Native Plants.  Ribes bracteosum, Stink Currant.  http://www.cwnp.org/photopgs/rdoc/ribracteosum.html

(2)   Turner, S.  2001.  Washington State Department of Transportation.  Environmental Affairs, Ribes bracteosum.  http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/eesc/environmental/programs/culres/ethbot/q-s/Ribes.htm

(3)   Pojar, J. and MacKinnon, A.  1994.  Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast.  Lone Pine Publishing, Redmond, WA, USA.

(4)   Fern, K.  1999.  Plants for a Future.  Ribes bracteosum.  http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Ribes+bracteosum&CAN=LATIND

 

 

Data compiled by: Lizbeth Seebacher  June 5, 2003