71. Red-flowering Currant

There is no doubt that this is the showiest native shrub that we have at Leaning Oaks.  It is a  valuable shrub for it's early bloom and ability to attract both species of Hummingbirds.  Indeed the arrival of Rufous Hummingbirds seem to be timed to take advantage of Red-flowering Currant and Salmonberry blossoms.  In British Columbia, the commonest flower colour is red (pink is commoner further south)  but even here we have found plants in the wild that run from white, blush, various shades of pink to brick red and intense scarlet. Not surprisingly, this is a widely available native plant in nurseries.  My garden blog on this species is the viewed blog I have written, which shows the interest in this plant.   Click here for that blog, which contains a list of some of the cultivars that are available for this species: 
http://gardennotesfromleaningoaks.blogspot.ca/search?updated-min=2010-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&updated-max=2011-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&max-results=7