Description
Ribes rubrum 'Jonkheer van Tets' | Redcurrant
Jonkheer van Tets redcurrant is an upright, bushy redcurrant shrub with green leaves and a fruit-bearing character. Its botanical name is Ribes rubrum 'Jonkheer van Tets'. This is a deciduous shrub, so it is not evergreen. At maturity, it reaches an approximate height of 150 cm; this is an estimate rather than a guaranteed final size. No special trained or tree form is specified: it is supplied as a shrub. Its upward growth and bushy outline give it a clear presence in a kitchen garden or fruit bed, and it is also listed for hedge planting. The cultivar is described as early-cropping and productive, making it a useful choice when you are looking for a red currant bush for one of these garden settings. The name 'Jonkheer van Tets' identifies this particular cultivar. Its foliage is green, while its flowers are yellow-green and appear in spring. For more plants in the same genus, see Ribes. The shrub’s combination of a defined, upright habit, green deciduous foliage and fruit-bearing growth makes it distinct from a plant supplied in a trained tree form.
Key features of redcurrant (Ribes rubrum 'Jonkheer van Tets')
- This redcurrant flowers in spring, with yellow-green flowers in April and May. The flowers are one of its seasonal features; no claim is made that they are especially showy. Its spring flowering sits alongside the shrub’s green foliage and fruit-bearing character.
- Choose a position in sun or partial shade. These are the stated site options for this cultivar, so it can be considered for different light conditions in a UK garden. The outline does not specify wind tolerance or suitability for paving, so these should not be assumed.
- It prefers humus-rich soil that retains moisture while remaining well drained. This describes both the moisture preference and the need for drainage. No particular soil pH is supplied, so there is no basis for recommending a specific acidity or alkalinity.
- The plant grows as an upright, bushy shrub, with an approximate mature height of 150 cm. Its upward-growing, bushy habit gives it a shrub-like presence in a fruit bed or kitchen garden. The mature height is an estimate, and no growth rate or mature width is specified.
- As a fruit-bearing shrub, it may suit gardeners comparing fruit plants for a garden setting. Its listed early-cropping and productive character helps distinguish this cultivar. No particular value for bees, butterflies or birds is specified.
Uses of the Jonkheer van Tets redcurrant in the garden
- This upright, bushy shrub is listed for a kitchen garden or fruit bed. Its approximate mature height of 150 cm gives a sense of its shrub-scale presence in these settings. The outline does not provide a width, so allow for its presence without relying on an estimated spread.
- Hedge planting is also a stated use. The plant’s bushy, upward-growing habit gives it a defined shrub form for this purpose. No particular hedge design, clipped shape or trained form is specified, so it should not be described as a formal or specially shaped hedge plant.
- The cultivar is hardy to approximately -25°C (USDA zone 4). This indicates the stated level of cold tolerance, but conditions can vary between UK gardens and local microclimates. It is not a guarantee of identical performance in every position.
- Its garden interest comes from several supplied features: green deciduous foliage, yellow-green flowers in April and May, and its fruit-bearing character. Together with its upright, bushy shape, these give the shrub a recognisable presence through its growing season. No specific wildlife value or companion plants are provided.
- Its early-cropping, productive character supports its role as a functional shrub for the kitchen garden, fruit bed or hedge. The listed uses relate to the shrub as supplied, rather than to a tree or another trained form. No particular planting combination is specified.
For a UK garden, Jonkheer van Tets redcurrant offers an upright, productive shrub for a kitchen garden, fruit bed or hedge, with green foliage and yellow-green spring flowers.
