Description
Savour the rich, tangy flavour of our blackcurrants, bursting with antioxidants and perfect for making jams, sauces, desserts, or adding a zesty kick to smoothies, yogurts, or baked goods. Available in our Local Farm Shop in Bellaghy, Mid Ulster Area.
🫐 Blackcurrants (Ribes nigrum) are small, glossy, deep purple berries that grow in clusters on deciduous shrubs native to temperate regions of Europe and Asia. Here’s a snapshot of what makes them special:
🌿 Botanical Features
- Shrub size: Typically grows up to 1.5–2 meters tall.
- Leaves: Palmate with serrated edges, aromatic due to yellow-secreting glands.
- Flowers: Small, greenish-white to pinkish, arranged in racemes called “strigs.”
- Fruit: Round, dark purple to black berries with a tart, musky flavor and persistent calyx at the tip.
🍽️ Culinary & Medicinal Uses
- Used in jams, jellies, syrups, juices, and liqueurs like cassis.
- Popular in desserts, sauces, and even savory dishes.
- Leaves and berries are used in herbal teas and traditional remedies for colds and sore throats.
💪 Nutritional Highlights
- Exceptionally high in vitamin C—often more than oranges.
- Rich in anthocyanins, polyphenols, and gamma-linolenic acid, which support immune health and reduce inflammation.
- Contains fiber, vitamin K, and essential minerals like iron, magnesium, and potassium.
🌱 Growing Conditions
- Thrives in cool, damp climates with fertile, well-drained soil.
- Sensitive to frost during flowering, but generally winter hardy.
- Requires regular pruning and benefits from cross-pollination for better yields.
Fun fact: During WWII, the British government promoted blackcurrant cultivation to combat vitamin C deficiency due to citrus shortages
