For blackcurrant liqueur, see Crème de cassis. Grossulariaceae grown for its edible berries. It is winter hardy, but cold weather at flowering blackcurrant pastilles during the spring may reduce the size of the crop.

Bunches of small, glossy black fruit develop along the stems in the summer and can be harvested by hand or by machine. The raw fruit is particularly rich in vitamin C and polyphenols. Blackcurrants can be eaten raw but are usually cooked in sweet or savoury dishes. Ribes nigrum is a medium-sized shrub, growing to 1. All parts of the plant are strongly aromatic.

Each flower has a hairy calyx with yellow glands, the five lobes of which are longer than the inconspicuous petals. There are five stamens surrounding the stigma and style and two fused carpels. An established bush can produce about 4. Polyphenol phytochemicals present in the fruit, seeds and leaves, are being investigated for their potential biological activities. The blackcurrant is native to northern Europe and Asia.