13 best varieties of red currants

Review of the best according to the editorial board. On the selection criteria. This material is subjective and does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.

Any fruits and vegetables differ in taste, ripening seasonality, often adaptation to certain types of soil and the specifics of weather conditions in the region. The same applies to red currants, the most useful and delicious berry found in almost all gardens in Russia. Experts have found out which varieties are most often purchased by summer residents and professional agronomists. We present the rating of red currant varieties by fruiting seasons, as well as suitable for the Moscow region.

Rating of the best varieties of red currant

Nomination	a place	currant variety	RATING
the best early varieties of red currant	1	Jonker van Tets	4.9
	2	Cherry Viksne	4.8
	3	Chulkovskaya	4.7
	4	Early sweet	4.6
The best mid-season red currant varieties	1	Baraba	4.9
	2	Natalie	4.8
The best late varieties of red currants	1	Asora	4.9
	2	Rosetta	4.8
	3	Gift of the Eagle	4.7
The best winter-hardy varieties of red currants	1	Scarlet dawn	4.9
	2	Ural beauty	4.8
	3	Ural lights	4.7
The best varieties of red currant for the Moscow region	1	Rondome	4.9
	2	Ilyinka	4.8
	3	Dutch red	4.7

Early varieties of red currant

Shrubs of early ripe currant varieties give ripe berries already in the first month of summer.

Jonker van Tets

Rating: 4.9

The leader in the rating is the Jonker van Tets variety, this red currant was bred by Dutch botanists in 1941, the berry was widely spread in the post-war years when exported to the countries of the Eurasian continent.

The plant is characterized by intensive growth, increased height of about 1.5 meters, multiple fruit-bearing branches, but they are located compactly. Large berries weighing up to one and a half grams are concentrated on the branches in a productive year up to 6 kilograms per bush, they are pleasantly sweet (with a sucrose concentration of only 6%). Jonker van Tets fruits are ideal for consumption immediately after harvest, harmonious in the preparation of dietary, sweet dishes and canned food.

The currant of this variety is distinguished by its rich annual fruiting, including in the central regions of Russia with variable weather conditions. The bushes are not afraid of frost, they are not affected by powdery mildew and destructive anthracnose.

Advantages

• Abundant productivity;
• Delicious fruits with low sugar concentration;
• The versatility of the use of berries;
• Immunity to common diseases.

disadvantages

• The risk of disrupting the germination of flowers by spring frosts is the problem of most early-maturing representatives of the flora.

Cherry Viksne

Rating: 4.8

The second place in the rating is occupied by the currant variety Vishnevaya Viksne, bred by Latvian breeders on the basis of the Varshevich variety, it has become widespread in the North-West and Central Black Earth regions with the best conditions for the development of shrubs.

The Vinske variety is mainly commercial, grown by canned berry producers, this is due to the versatility of medium-sized berries with a diameter of up to 0.8 cm and an abundant yield – the clusters are formed very rich. The bush is indifferent to the minimum soil moisture, low temperatures, the harvest is transportable. These characteristics are also attractive for manufacturers, as well as for ordinary summer residents.

The bush stretches up to one and a half meters, but the growth of the shoots is uneven, so the shape of the bush turns out to be incorrect. A characteristic feature of Vishnevaya Viksne is dark berries, reminiscent of a cherry hue, for which the variety got its name. At the same time, the fruits are rich in pectin, they have one of the highest concentration of vitamin C in the family – up to 38 mg per 100 g.

Advantages

• Shrub resistance to anthracnose;
• Harvest versatility;
• Optimal taste;
• Increased concentration of pectin and ascorbic acid;
• High productivity.

disadvantages

• Danger of freezing of flowers by spring cold;
• Red-headed aphids are dangerous for shrubs.

Chulkovskaya

Rating: 4.7

Currant bush of national selection Chulkovskaya neat spherical shape does not require insect pollination. The berries ripen by the end of June, the fruits are small about 0.7 cm, with a noticeable sourness, therefore they are suitable mainly for conservation.

The shrub is small, the sour taste of the berries is due to its resistance to dry soil, frosts do not affect the characteristics of the plant, it takes root in central and southern Russia with a comfortable climate.

Advantages

• Drought is not terrible;
• Wide regional distribution;
• Abundant fruiting.

disadvantages

• Pronounced acidity determines the use in conservation.

Early sweet

Rating: 4.6

Experts have identified the fourth place in the rating for the Early Sweet variety. Fruits of a mediocre taste with pronounced acidity are best processed with sugar, although its content in the berry mass volume reaches 6%. In a productive year, the bush will delight the summer resident with four kilograms of harvest – noticeably less than that of the previously considered varieties.

The bush stretches up to one and a half meters, its crown is neat, not afraid of frost and water shortage, the brushes do not crumble after ripening. The plant is demanding on the soil: the soil must be nutritious, fertilized.

Advantages

• Early readiness for picking berries;
• Frosts are not terrible;
• Harvest transportability.

disadvantages

• Mediocre sour taste;
• The bush is prone to overgrowth;
• Nutrient soil is required;
• A relatively poor harvest, suitable for those who do not need a lot of berries.

The best mid-season red currant varieties

These varieties of red currant produce ripe berries in the second summer month. Their fruiting is more stable due to the absence of low temperatures in April-May during the period of fruiting in the warm months (May-June).

Baraba

Rating: 4.9

The relatively young Russian currant variety Baraba is distinguished by its compact size of the bush, an organic structure and bluish-green tops of new shoots. The berries are large, weighing up to one and a half grams, they taste organic sweet with notes of acidity with a sugar content of up to 9%, they are good immediately after picking and as part of ready-made dishes. One bush is capable of producing a very bountiful harvest.

The Baraba currant bush is not damaged at negative temperatures and lack of liquid, the weak point is anthracnose.

Advantages

• Bountiful harvest;
• Straight and organically folded bush;
• The ability to retain its own moisture;
• Organic taste.

disadvantages

• Damage to currant diseases.

Natalie

Rating: 4.8

The second place in the ranking of July varieties is occupied by the domestic red currant Natali, which has become widespread in the center and south of Russia, favorable for its growth. The plant is not tall with neatly arranged branches, it produces a harvest by the middle of the second summer month with large berries weighing up to 1 gram.

The Natali variety needs a light nutritious soil, for example, non-acidic loam, a moderate humid climate is necessary for growth – the plant does not tolerate drought and an excess of water. The plant is difficult to take root: at first it requires intensive care.

The flowers are self-pollinated.

Advantages

• Delicate taste with sourness;
• The berries are large and juicy;
• Frost-resistant shrub;
• Self-pollination.

disadvantages

• The seedling is difficult to take root;
• Requires nutrition for the soil and maintaining the right amount of water.

The best late varieties of red currants

Harvest in late July, August and even early September give late varieties. Berries are usually the sweetest, because the period of their origin and ripeness falls on the sunny months.

Asora

Rating: 4.9

The experts awarded the first place in this category to the Asora variety. Dark-burgundy currant fruits are rather big – up to 1 gram and sweet, located on medium length of dense clusters. Shrub – medium-sized with spreading branches resistant to cold weather and many known parasites and diseases. It should be provided with enough moisture to improve yield, although without water the plant can also develop for a long time. Asora likes light – it is recommended to plant currants in the sun or in partial shade.

Advantages

• Excellent yield with sufficient moisture;
• Universal fruits;
• Immunity to 'sores'.

disadvantages

• With a moisture deficit in the soil, the berries lose in quantity and sweetness.

Rosetta

Rating: 4.8

In second place in the rating is a mid-season fragrant Rosetta with fleshy berries developed on twelve centimeter brushes. The shrub quickly takes root in the conditions of central Russia and grows rapidly – the main distinguishing feature of Rosetta. The berries are ready for harvest in late July – early August, depending on the climate.

The shrub normally tolerates frost, drought, but is unstable to water-saturated soil, therefore, when planting on viscous soils, it is necessary to provide for drainage of the site.

Advantages

• Large clusters with fleshy berries;
• Recognized high taste properties;
• Immunity to parasites and typical infection;
• The versatility of berry fruits.

disadvantages

• Demanding on the balance of moisture, does not tolerate waterlogging of the soil.

Gift of the Eagle

Rating: 4.7

Closes the top three of the rating is the unique variety Dar Eagle, bred at the All-Russian Research Institute of Breeding of Fruit Crops. A distinctive feature – large fruits on 12-centimeter brushes with a dry separation. The bush grows to a medium size, but its yield is relatively low – about 2.5 kg from 1 bush.

The variety does not like direct sunlight, it takes root well in the shade and partial shade. Of the diseases for the red currant variety, Gift of the Eagle, powdery mildew and aphid attacks are dangerous.

In general, shrubs are unpretentious and give a high-quality harvest, therefore they are often grown on an industrial scale.

Advantages

• Large berries with optimal taste;
• The possibility of industrial cultivation;
• The versatility of berries;
• Resistant to most diseases.

disadvantages

• The bush is actively affected by aphids;
• The plant requires shade.

The best winter-hardy varieties of red currants

It is necessary to pay attention to winter-hardy varieties of perennial plants for residents of cold regions, where severe frosts prevail in winter. Currant bushes also take root well in the central regions, where the climate is sometimes unpredictable and frosts can occur at other times of the year.

Scarlet dawn

Rating: 4.9

The first in the rating is Scarlet Dawn – a Russian variety of red currant, indifferent to winter temperatures below zero. The shrub bears fruit in the middle of summer, the berries are no more than a gram in taste, organic with a balance of sweetness and acidity, they ripen on elongated brush branches.

The scarlet dawn is moderately fruitful – from 1.8 to 5 kg of fruits, according to the number determined by the size of the plant. The bush requires moderate humidity and timely feeding in the spring, there are no problems with treatment – insects and diseases are not terrible for the variety.

Advantages

• Winter hardiness and frost resistance without loss of fertile ability;
• Optimal fruiting;
• Immunity to common parasites;
• Well-appreciated balanced taste.

disadvantages

• Not identified.

Ural beauty

Rating: 4.8

The red currant bred in Western Siberia, the Ural beauty of medium ripening, is adapted to the frosts of the central zone. The plant is unpretentious, quickly takes root in a new area, but requires moderate humidity, sensitive to water shortages. The shape of the crown is loose with lowered young branches.

The plant retains the ability to bear fruit abundantly even in an atypically cool summer, for which amateur gardeners love it so much. However, winter temperature rises can cause an interruption in the life of a plant and a violation of its functionality.

The berries of the Uralskaya krasavitsa variety are pleasantly sweet, of moderate size a little less than a gram, there are few of them on the brushes, but the stall is dry and it is very convenient to harvest. Fertilization in the spring will help improve the quality of the fruits.

Advantages

• It takes root quickly;
• Mid-season variety (harvest by July);
• Sweet berries for universal use;
• It tolerates frosts down to –250 and below.

disadvantages

• Winter thaws are detrimental to the plant.
• Spider mite instability.

Ural lights

Rating: 4.7

In the third place in the rating is the currant variety Ogni Urala, bred in the South Ural Research Institute of Fruit and Vegetable and Potato Growing, intended for cultivation in the Ural region and the central Volga. With widely spread branches, the shrub is insensitive to the harsh Ural winters and typical diseases, but it needs the necessary soil moisture, does not tolerate the drying out of the soil.

Fleshy fruits, reaching a gram, are suitable for harvesting already in the middle of summer to a considerable amount of up to 6 and 7 kg from one healthy bush. Moderate acidity in combination with delicate sweetness makes the berries a delicacy for raw foodists and those with a sweet tooth who love jam, jelly, and compotes.

Advantages

• Ideal resistance to negative temperatures;
• Generous fees from one bush;
• Immunity to many currant diseases;
• Balanced taste.

disadvantages

• Suitable for breeding only in the Urals and the Volga.

The best varieties of red currant for the Moscow region

The Moscow region is located in the central zone of our country; most varieties of red currants, designed for the appropriate climate, are suitable for distribution in this territory.

Rondome

Rating: 4.9

The work of breeders from Holland, Random is one of the most common and favorite varieties of red currant in the central regions, characterized by mouth-watering medium-sized berries, just under a gram, ripening in August. The plant has one of the richest and most consistent yields of up to 10 kg per healthy adult plant.

The branches of the Random shrub are widely spread, the fruits on ten-centimeter brushes sit tightly. The plant needs sufficient moisture, is not afraid of the moderate intensity of winter frosts, and is resistant to diseases such as powdery mildew.

Advantages

• Appetizing berries, rated 4.6 points;
• Stable harvest;
• Suitable for growing in central regions, including the vicinity of the Russian capital;
• Immunity.

disadvantages

• Late-ripening variety;
• Suffers from severe frost.

Ilyinka

Rating: 4.8

The second place in the rating is occupied by the domestic variety of currant Ilyinka. The shrub yields a harvest of fleshy berries by the middle of summer, which received 5 points according to experts, but the total yield is relatively small – up to 5 kg per adult plant.

Ilyinka is unable to develop in cold conditions due to instability to significant negative temperatures, and suits the capital region perfectly well. The bush is unattractive to parasitic insects and common currant diseases. In the climate near Moscow, it does not require special care.

Advantages

• Sweet fleshy berries of the highest palatability;
• Few seeds;
• Ripening by July.

disadvantages

• There are relatively few berries on the bush;
• Intolerance to severe frost.

Dutch red

Rating: 4.7

The experts awarded the third place to the oldest variety by Dutch biologists. The bush stretches significantly, it is distinguished by an unusual parallelepipedal structure. Fruits are clearly sour and ripen not earlier than August; they are more organic in processed form due to the low concentration of the sweet agent.

Dutch red currant develops organically in the central zone of the Russian Federation, it is insensitive to the lack of soil moisture, but higher quality berries and a large number of them are obtained with sufficient watering.

Advantages

• Optimum fruiting is about 4.6 kg from an adult shrub;
• The ability to retain its own moisture and tolerate drought;
• Frost resistance;
• Immunity to insects and infection.

disadvantages

• Pronounced acidity of fruits with hard bones.

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Attention! This rating is subjective and does not constitute an advertisement and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.