Common Name:

General Information

Ribes diacanthum is an erect, usually spiny, much-branched deciduous shrub that can grow 50 - 200cm tall, occasionally to 300cm[, , , ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and a medicine. It is cultivated in North Korea as a medicinal plant for its leaves and fruits[]. The plant is grown as an ornamental in gardens[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

E. Asia - Mongolia, eastern Siberia, northern China, North Korea.

Habitat

Stony slopes and rocks[]. Sandy hilly areas, sandy grasslands and river banks; at elevations up to 1,500 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Deciduous Shrub
Height	1.50 m
Pollinators	Insects
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Ribes diacanthum is very cold hardy, when dormant it can tolerate temperatures falling to around -20°c[].
Easily grown in a moisture retentive but well-drained loamy soil of at least moderate quality[, ]. Plants are quite tolerant of shade though do not fruit so well in such a position[].
Although it has spines, this species is a type of currant, not a gooseberry[].
White pine blister rust, caused by the pathogen Cronartium ribicola, is a fungal disease that is native to Asia but has spread via human activity to many other regions, where it has become more virulent. It has a complex life-cycle that requires both currants (Ribes species) and white pines (Pinus species of the section Strobus) for the disease to spread. Whilst Ribes species can generally live with the disease (it has an annual life-cycle and infects the leaves only) Pinus species can be devastated by it (it becomes perennial and spreads through the tree). Young pines are far more susceptible than mature trees. In America the growing of certain Ribes species is banned in some areas in order to protect plantations of white pine species.
Plants in this genus tend to be notably susceptible to honey fungus[].
A dioecious species - both male and female forms must be grown if fruit and seed are required[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or cooked[]. Palatable[]. A sweetish-acid flavour, it can be used for dessert[, ]. The red, globose fruit is about 5 - 10mm in diameter[, ].

Medicinal

The leaves and fruits are used medicinally[].

In traditional Mongolian medicines, the aerial parts (leaves, stem, and fruits) are used in the treatment of kidney diseases such as cystitis, and bladder infections, retention, and oedema. An aqueous extract of the plant has been shown to control kidney stones, stimulate the diuresis, and improve choroid plasticity[].
The plant, particularly an ethyl acetate extract, has been shown to have good antioxidant activities[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

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, mid summer in a frame[, ].
Cuttings of mature wood of the current year's growth, preferably with a heel of the previous year's growth, late autumn to late winter in a cold frame or sheltered bed outdoors[, ].