Ribes sanguineum 'King Edward VII'

King Edward VII Flowering Currant is a flowering shrub, draped in stunning racemes of ruby-red flowers hanging below the branches in mid spring. Growing up to 8 feet tall and spreading to 7 feet, it is a bushy, upright, multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with lobed leaves that turn golden-orange in the fall. The summertime, blue-black berries are of greater interest to birds than people.

The best bloom is in full sun, but it will still have plenty of flowers in light or open shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions. Once established it is drought tolerant. Ribes sanguineum 'King Edward VII' should only be pruned after flowering, to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers.

Easy to grow. Attracts butterflies and birds. Flowers and berries are edible. Use in edible gardens, mass plantings, hedges and screening, and for erosion control. An extremely long-lived currant, it can be expected to live for 40 years or more, if grown under ideal conditions. This red flowering currant bush is deer and rabbit resistant.