Description
Ribes rubrum 'Rovada' Staked | Redcurrant
Rovada standard redcurrant is a distinctive form of Ribes rubrum 'Rovada', the redcurrant known for its late crop and heavy fruiting. Rather than growing as an ordinary redcurrant bush, this plant is trained as a standard, with a clear stem that gives its growth a raised silhouette. It reaches around 120 cm in height at maturity. Green leaves cover the deciduous growth, which falls in autumn. Greenish-yellow flowers appear in April and May, followed by long bunches of red berries. These berries are attractive to birds and add seasonal interest to the plant. The standard form gives the fruiting plant a different presence from a bush, so it can be used where its raised outline is part of the garden display. It is suited to a fruit garden, a pot or use as a specimen plant. For more plants in the same genus, explore Ribes.
Key features of the Rovada standard redcurrant (Ribes rubrum 'Rovada')
- Flowers and foliage: Greenish-yellow flowers open in April and May. The foliage is green and deciduous, so the plant does not keep its leaves throughout the year.
- Position: Choose a place in full sun or partial shade. This gives you a choice of positions when planning where the standard redcurrant will sit in the garden.
- Soil: It prefers humus-rich soil that is slightly moist and well drained. Good drainage is important, while the soil should not be allowed to become dry according to the stated preference.
- Growth and form: The standard redcurrant has a clear stem and a raised silhouette, unlike an ordinary redcurrant bush. Its long bunches of red berries provide a clear seasonal feature, and the berries are attractive to birds.
Uses for a Rovada standard redcurrant in the garden
- Fruit garden: Use this standard redcurrant as part of a fruit garden. Its raised form sets it apart from a usual bush and gives the plant a recognisable outline among other garden plants.
- Pot or specimen plant: The ‘Rovada’ standard can also be grown in a pot or used as a specimen plant. In either role, its elevated silhouette helps it read as an individual feature rather than as an ordinary redcurrant bush.
- Seasonal interest: The green foliage, April and May flowers and long bunches of red berries provide different features through the growing season. The berries are attractive to birds, adding a point of interest as the fruit develops.
- Hardiness: The supplied hardiness classification is USDA zone 4, with hardiness stated to -34°C to -29°C. This gives a specific measure of the plant’s stated cold tolerance.
- Planting combinations: The standard redcurrant can be combined with other plants, but no particular companion plants are specified. Choose combinations that suit the position and soil conditions described for this plant.
For more fruiting shrubs to consider for the garden, see fruit plants. The ‘Rovada’ standard redcurrant is a distinctive option for a fruit garden, a pot or a specimen position.
