VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Ribes americanum | American Black Currant 



WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : 
On a burned site in northwestern Minnesota, moose consumed American
black currant forage during April and May of postfire year 2.  American
black currant comprised 7 percent of browsed twigs or stems.  It was not
selected in preference to other shrub species [19].

The fruit of Ribes spp. is a valuable food source for songbirds,
chipmunks, ground squirrels, and other animals [22].


PALATABILITY : 
The palatability of American black currant to wildlife in some western
states is rated as follows [7]:

Pronghorn              fair
Elk                    fair
Mule deer              fair
Small mammals          good
Small nongame birds    good      
Upland game birds      fair
Waterfowl              poor


NUTRITIONAL VALUE : 
The fruit of American black currant is low in lipids and high in sugars
[38].


COVER VALUE : 
Cover values for American black currant are rated as follows [7]:

                         UT            WY
Pronghorn               ----          fair
Elk                     ----          fair
Mule deer               fair          fair
Small mammals           ----          good 
Small nongame birds     ----          good
Upland game birds       ----          fair
Waterfowl               ----          poor


VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES : 
NO-ENTRY


OTHER USES AND VALUES : 
The fruit of American black currant is used for making jam, jelly and
pie.  American black currant is cultivated as an ornamental [26].


MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
American black currant is an alternate host for white pine blister rust
(Cronartium ribicola) which infests five-needled pines.  Because of
their association with the rust, Ribes spp. have been the targets of
various eradication efforts; however, these efforts have had some
success only in the Great Lake States [14,24].

Related categories for Species: Ribes americanum | American Black Currant