Scottish growing tool

Redcurrants and Whitecurrants Variety Selector: Which One For Your Garden

Every recommendation below traces back to our full Redcurrants and Whitecurrants varieties comparison — this page is the fast route to one answer for your specific situation, no clicking through required.

If: Small garden or growing in a pot

StanzaAGM

Stanza's compact habit suits small gardens and containers specifically, the most space-efficient pick of the group. Rovada and Blanka are also more compact than the other varieties and worth considering where space is tight.

If: I want fruit as fast as possible after planting

BlankaAGM

Blanka reaches maturity in 2 to 5 years, against 5 to 10 years for every other variety here, the only one of the six with any realistic chance of a crop before year five. It's the heaviest-cropping whitecurrant, with long trusses of large, pearly white berries.

If: I want to spread picking over more of the summer → Earlier, for a head start or I want to spread picking over more of the summer → Not sure, just give me the safest all-round choice or My soil is neutral only, not acid → Not sure, just give me the safest all-round choice or Not sure, just give me the safest all-round choice

Jonkheer van TetsAGM

The strongest all-round pick: one of the earliest of the six to ripen, fruit ready in June to July, a genuine head start in a growing season that starts later and runs cooler in Scotland than further south. It also tolerates the widest soil range of the group, clay, loam or sand at either acid or neutral pH, and copes with any aspect.

If: I want to spread picking over more of the summer → Later, to extend the season after an early variety

RovadaAGM

Rovada ripens late in summer, after Jonkheer van Tets's June to July crop, so pairing the two spreads picking over more of the season. It has long strings of larger fruit that make picking easier once the crop is in, and it's more compact than most of the other varieties, at 1 to 1.5m.

If: My soil is neutral only, not acid → Red

Red LakeAGM

Red Lake is a redcurrant that tolerates neutral soil only, unlike Jonkheer van Tets, Rovada, Stanza and Blanka, which tolerate acid or neutral soil. Beyond the shared pest and disease list, it carries gall mites and gall midge as extra risks to watch for.

If: My soil is neutral only, not acid → White

White GrapeAGM

White Grape is a whitecurrant that tolerates neutral soil only, the same narrower range as Red Lake. Beyond the shared pest and disease list, it carries gall mites as an extra risk to watch for.

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Redcurrants and Whitecurrants growing guide →Full Redcurrants and Whitecurrants varieties comparison →