Skip to main content
← Plants for Bees
Red-Flowering Currant
Red-Flowering Currant botanical plate
Field guide plate · click to zoom

Red-Flowering Currant

Ribes sanguineum

Honeybees visit red-flowering currant for its abundant early-season nectar and pollen, supporting emerging colonies during a critical foraging period with peak bloom typically in March to April. This deciduous shrub rarely produces surplus honey but is valuable for buildup. Planting is restricted in some states like Michigan due to its potential as a host for white pine blister rust.

Nectarhigh
Pollenhigh
BloomMarch–May
USDA zones6-8
TypePerennial
Sunpartial
NativeWestern North America
BeeAI — Ask the old beekeeper
Hey there, honey. Ask me anything about your bees.