Ribes nidigrolaria (Jostaberry)

Jostaberry is a medium-sized shrub that is commonly grown for its edible qualities. It produces plum purple round berries which are usually ready for picking from early to mid summer. The berries will often fade to black over time. The berries have a tangy taste and a juicy texture.

Jostaberry has rich green deciduous foliage on a plant with an upright spreading habit of growth. The lobed leaves turn yellow in fall. It features an abundance of magnificent plum purple berries in early summer, which fade to black over time.

Jostaberry will grow to be about 6 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 6 feet. It has a low canopy, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years. While it is considered to be somewhat self-pollinating, it tends to set heavier quantities of fruit with a different variety of the same species growing nearby.

This shrub is typically grown in a designated area of the yard because of its mature size and spread. It does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid.