Northwest Blooms · Shrubs
Ribes sanguineum 'Ubric'
White Icicle Flowering Currant
- Family
- Grossulariaceae
- Height
- 6 ft to 8 ft
- Width
- 6 ft to 8 ft
- Flower color
- White pendulous flower clusters
- Foliage color
- Soft green, shallowly lobed leaves with a lightly textured matte surface
- Bloom time
- Early to mid spring
- Light
- Full sun to partial shade
- Water
- Low to moderate once established
- Maintenance
- Low; prune after flowering to shape and remove older wood
- Growing zone
- USDA zones 6 to 9
- Wildlife
- Hummingbirds, pollinators and birds attracted to nectar and berries
About this plant
Ribes sanguineum 'Ubric' produces pendant clusters of pure white flowers in elongated racemes, opening in early spring and illuminating the branches with a clean, luminous display. Rounded, softly lobed leaves emerge a fresh green with a lightly textured surface, forming a dense canopy as they expand. The flowers hang in loose, drooping trusses, their white tones attracting hummingbirds and early pollinators while the foliage develops into a full, leafy presence through the growing season.
Originating from the western North American species and selected from material collected near Vancouver Island, this cultivar reflects careful breeding for garden performance and early bloom. It is well suited to woodland borders, informal hedging, and wildlife gardens, where its early flowering period and nectar-rich blooms support seasonal activity and provide interest at the close of winter.
Works well in
Sun Gardens · Native Gardens · Hummingbird Gardens · Bird Gardens
Companion plants
Peony · Indian hawthorn · Rock Cress · Feather reed grass · Dianthus · Glossy abelia
Design tip
Against a dark fence or evergreen backdrop, ‘Ubric’ can make its cascading white flowers especially noticeable during the quieter early-spring garden. Keep the foreground relatively open so the long flower clusters remain visible rather than disappearing among dense neighboring foliage.
