Red Flowering Currant is a perennial grown for its red blooms, which open in late spring and return year after year. It's hardy across USDA zones 6 through 8. Its late spring flowers are a real draw for honeybees, native bees, and hummingbirds.
Zones
6-8
pH Range
5.5-8
Sun
Full Sun
Days to Maturity
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Score Red Flowering Currant on your exact land.
Zone averages can't see the slope, soil, frost, and sun that decide whether red flowering currant actually takes — and those shift from one yard to the next. Enter your address and we'll score red flowering currant against your land's real conditions.
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What Red Flowering Currant is
Red Flowering Currant grows as a perennial. It blooms red in late spring.
How to grow Red Flowering Currant
Red Flowering Currant grows in USDA zones 6 through 8. Red Flowering Currant does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 5.5 to 8, on well-drained ground. It needs a growing season of at least 150 frost-free days, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
6-8
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
5.5 - 8
USDA PLANTS Database
Sun
Full Sun
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Drainage
well (dry spells)
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Frost Tolerance
41°F
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Frost-Free Days
150+
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Start the season right
Plant red flowering currant in full sun with at least 6 hours of direct sun, once the soil has warmed and frost risk has passed.
Match the soil
Red Flowering Currant prefers pH 5.5 to 8 (USDA PLANTS Database). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.
Harvest at its peak
Cut red flowering currant blooms in the cool of the morning, just as they open, for the longest display.
Good to know
Good news for pet owners — red flowering currant isn't known to be toxic to dogs or cats. (Source: ASPCA.)
Red Flowering Currant is a standout pollinator plant — high value to bees and other pollinators. (Source: Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership.)
Where Red Flowering Currant thrives
Red Flowering Currant is hardy across USDA zones 6 through 8. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
Zones 6–8·Where Red Flowering Currant growsOpen map →
On USDA hardiness-zone overlap, Red Flowering Currant can grow in these states:
See if Red Flowering Currant will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether red flowering currant actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grow Red Flowering Currant in my zone?
Red Flowering Currant grows in USDA hardiness zones 6 through 8 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
When should you plant Red Flowering Currant?
Most growers plant red flowering currant after the last spring frost, once the soil has warmed, leaving enough of the season for its 150-day frost-free need. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.
How much sun does Red Flowering Currant need?
Red Flowering Currant needs full sun — a spot that catches at least 6 hours of direct summer sun a day. In more shade it still grows, but usually gives a smaller, later crop. The catch is that a yard rarely gets even light everywhere — a fence, the house, or one tall tree can quietly take those hours. A Growable Ground report reads the real sun-hours across your land, canopy and buildings included, so you can pick the brightest bed before you plant.
What soil does Red Flowering Currant need?
Red Flowering Currant prefers soil pH 5.5 to 8, on well-drained ground (USDA PLANTS Database). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Red Flowering Currant attract pollinators?
Yes — red flowering currant's flowers are a strong nectar and pollen source for honeybees, native bees, and hummingbirds (Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership).
Is Red Flowering Currant safe for pets?
Red Flowering Currant is not known to be toxic to dogs or cats based on available data (ASPCA). Always supervise pets around new plantings.