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Key characteristics

Family: Grossulariaceae
Height: 6 ft to 10 ft
Width: 6 ft to 10 ft
Flower color: Deep crimson red pendulous flower clusters with a rich tone
Foliage color: Soft green, shallowly lobed leaves with a slightly 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

Shrubs

Ribes sanguineum 'King Edward VII'

King Edward VII Flowering Currant

Ribes sanguineum 'King Edward VII' produces pendant clusters of rich red flowers in elongated racemes, opening in early to mid-spring and bringing vivid color to the branches. Rounded, softly lobed leaves emerge a fresh green with a lightly textured surface, forming a dense backdrop as they expand. The flowers hang in graceful, drooping trusses, their deep red tones drawing hummingbirds and early pollinators while the foliage fills in to create a full, leafy presence through the season.

Light

Full sun to partial shade

Water

Low to moderate once established

Bloom time

Early to mid spring

Find this plant

Works well in

Sun Gardens
Cottage Gardens
Native Gardens
Bird Gardens

Companion plants

Asters · Cotoneaster · Bee balm · Smoke bush · Dianthus · California lilac

Design tip

Make ‘King Edward VII’ an early-season anchor among shrubs that reach their peak later, giving the garden a strong opening display. Its broad, informal shape fills substantial garden space naturally, making it especially effective in larger, loosely arranged plantings.