Wax currant
| Botanical Name | Ribes cereum |
| Common Name | Wax currant |
| Family | Grossulariaceae - Currant |
| Description | The leaf of this native perennial shrub is fan-shaped with 3 to 5 toothed lobes. They are crowded on the stem and are sometimes sticky. Its numerous branches are smooth-barked. The seedy berries are waxy and usually bright red. The common family name is also Gooseberry. |
| Mature Size | 4’-6’ |
| Bloom | In April and May, pink to greenish-white tubular flowers appear in drooping clusters. Sometimes the flowers are solitary. Each flower is ¼” – ½” long. |
| Interesting Facts | The berries have an unpleasant odor and are considered tasteless. |
| Traditional and Medicinal Uses | Good forage, especially relished by sheep and cattle. All parts are edible. Roots are ground and used for a coffee substitute. Flower heads make wine. Young leaves are cooked like spinach. Leaves and root are a diuretic. At San Ildefonso Pueblo, the ground leaves - reduced to a paste with water - have been spread over a fracture with dandelion leaves bound on it with rags. The dandelion is a popular "toy" for children.The flowers, leaves and berries are edible but since they don't taste good they have been considered as only an emergency food. Large quantities can cause nausea. The berries have been eaten in quantity to induce vomiting. An infusion of the inner bark has been used as a wash for sore eyes. This shrub is considered only fair to poor browse for livestock and deer. It provides cover for wildlife. Chickadees and other birds eat the berries. |
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Photos for SFBG by Janice Tucker
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Santa Fe Botanical Garden
celebrates, cultivates and conserves
the rich botanical heritage and biodiversity of the region.