Description
Ribes rubrum 'Jonkheer van Tets' Standard | Redcurrant
The redcurrant standard is Ribes rubrum 'Jonkheer van Tets', a deciduous shrub supplied in a raised, standard form. Its upright stem carries a crown at the top, creating a clear silhouette above the ground. This gives it a different profile from a redcurrant supplied as a bush. The cultivar is noted for early fruiting and a high yield, while its redcurrant berries may attract birds. Green foliage provides the leafy crown during the growing season, and the plant loses its leaves as part of its deciduous habit. It reaches an average mature height of around 150 cm; no mature width is specified. The raised shape makes it a possible feature in a fruit garden or edible garden, as a specimen, or in a pot. Pale greenish-yellow flowers are recorded in April and May. The standard form is the defining feature here: the visible stem lifts the crown and gives the plant a more defined, elevated presence than a bush-form redcurrant. It belongs to the Ribes genus, but this product is specifically the cultivar 'Jonkheer van Tets' presented as a standard.
Key features of the redcurrant standard (Ribes rubrum 'Jonkheer van Tets')
- Growth and form: This redcurrant standard has an upright stem with a crown-forming top. The raised crown gives it a defined silhouette, set apart from the lower, bush-like profile of a bush-form redcurrant.
- Flowers: Greenish-yellow flowers are recorded in April and May. Flowering is a seasonal feature, but the supplied information does not describe the flowers as showy.
- Foliage: The leaves are green, and the plant is deciduous. Leaf shape and autumn colour are not specified.
- Position and soil: Choose a position in sun or partial shade. The soil should be humus-rich and well drained, while remaining slightly moist.
- Fruit and wildlife: The cultivar is described as early-fruiting and high-yielding. Its redcurrant berries may attract birds; no specific benefit to bees or butterflies is stated.
- Garden context: As a standard-form fruit plant, it may suit a fruit garden or edible garden. See more options in Fruit plants.
Uses of the redcurrant standard in the garden
- Fruit and edible gardens: The standard form can be used in a fruit garden or edible garden. Its upright stem and raised crown give it a more defined outline than a bush-form redcurrant.
- Specimen planting: Planted as a specimen, the elevated crown can provide a distinct focal point. The stem gives the plant a vertical profile, while the crown remains its defining feature.
- Growing in a pot: Pot use is listed for this redcurrant standard. No particular pot size is specified, so consider the available space and the plant’s supplied mature height of around 150 cm when assessing where it may fit.
- Hardiness: The supplied tolerance range is -34°C to -23°C, corresponding to USDA zones 3–6. This is the stated range and does not mean that every UK garden experiences those temperatures.
- Position and setting: It can be placed in sun or partial shade, in humus-rich, well-drained soil that remains slightly moist. These conditions apply whether it is considered for a fruit garden, an edible garden, specimen planting or a pot.
With an upright stem and a crown raised above it, this redcurrant standard offers a clearly defined presence that differs from a bush-form plant.
