Ribes viburnifolium

Evergreen Currant

Also known as the Catalina Currant, this currant never drops its leathery dark green leaves, unlike others of the species which go dormant in the summer (hence the name Evergreen Currant). The price you normally pay for this is that it rarely has significant blooms. However, this year several of our Evergreen Currants (as well as those of our friends) have decided to treat us, starting to bloom Christmas week. The blooms are very small - this photo is larger than actual size - but very cute. (In later years as the plant aged, we saw more blooms, progressing to sparse but colorful fruit in late summer.)

Evergreen currants are low, mounding, spreading plants that are good for knitting together a hillside. Their red stems arch up about 2-3 feet and out 3-5 feet, striking roots where they hit the ground, and then continue outwards. A dead-easy plant, they prefer partial shade and are fine with a wide range of watering conditions (we water ours about every 2 weeks).