Herb: Hudson Bay Currant


Latin name: Ribes hudsonianum


Family: Grossulariaceae (Currant Family)



Medicinal use of Hudson Bay Currant:

A decoction of the stem sections, used alone or with wild gooseberry stems (Ribes spp) has been used to treat sickness after childbirth. The raw fruits have been eaten as a treatment for colds. A decoction of leaves and fruits has been used to treat sickness in general. A decoction of the stems and leaves has been used in the treatment of colds, sore throats and stomach complaints. A decoction of the roots has been taken as a general panacea to treat all types of sickness and also tuberculosis.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Deciduous
Shrub

Height:
100 cm
(3 1/4 foot)

Flowering:
May

Habitat of the herb:

Swampy woods and rocky slopes.

Edible parts of Hudson Bay Currant:

Fruit - raw or cooked. Mainly used in jams, jellies etc. The fruit is about 5 - 10mm in diameter.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a cold frame. Stored seed requires 4 - 5 months cold stratification at between 0 to 9°C and should be sown as early in the year as possible. Under normal storage conditions the seed can remain viable for 17 years or more. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter, planting them out in late spring of the following year. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 10 - 15cm with a heel, July/August in a frame. Cuttings of mature wood of the current year's growth, preferably with a heel of the previous year's growth, November to February in a cold frame or sheltered bed outdoors.

Cultivation of Hudson Bay Currant:

Swampy woods and rocky slopes.

Known hazards of Ribes hudsonianum:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.