I am seeking information on clove scented golden flowering currants . I am aware they are susceptible to rust but would like to start several in my garden on Vancouver Island as the fragrance is so heavenly. None of the local nurseries can source this plant and all of my online searches lead me to US growers. Does anyone out there have a Canadian source for these plants or would anyone consider taking cuttings of their own specimen? Thanks and happy spring
Dominant cultivar has been 'Crandall', which may be sold as a black currant when intended for edible planting - you may find stock available under that umbrella, rather than as a decorative shrub Ribes odoratum.
Some sources report Ribes odoratum as a synonym of Ribes aureum. You might have better luck with that name. Cedar Rim Nursery has that in their container stock listing.
It's the other way around: Ribes aureum hort. is a synonym of R. odoratum H.L. Wendl. This and R. aureum Pursh are two distinct species with different wild ranges and morphologies. Which of these a particular source is offering needs to be deduced from whatever descriptive information is provided or determined by viewing the stock in person.
It's a mixed bag of listings for this plant; so it's not clear which way it really is. Examples in which R. odoratum as listed as a synonym: Ribes aureum at The Plant List Ribes aureum var. villosum at USDA Those not familiar with this plant, myself included, should be aware of possible mislabeling.
The only sound basis for such listings would be if clove currant has been at least once legitimately published as being within golden currant, by someone intending specifically to demote R. odoratum; I am not intimately familiar with the entire literature of the two species, which otherwise seem to exist as distinct entities. Unless there is knowledge of uniform genetics or morphological grading together that shows the two cultivated plants are merely a western version and a central US version of a single species, I have to think somebody isn't interpreting the situation right. Since the 'Crandall' cultivar is sold as a black currant I think I have seen it listed incorrectly by suppliers as Ribes nigrum 'Crandall'. A similar apparent mistake is R. rubrum being planted in local re-vegetation projects in place of R. sanguineum.
Kind of short notice and judging from the thread, it may not be possible to be sure what plant might be offered, but Ribes aureum is listed on the sale list for the Sunshine Coast Botanical Garden Plant Sale (this Sunday, May 4, 10-1). http://www.coastbotanicalgarden.org/plant_list_2014.html?utm_source=Plant+Sale+Reminder&utm_campaign=MAY2-2014-event-reminder&utm_medium=email Maybe you can make the trip over.
