Ribes aureum var. gracillimum

Golden currant

Family: Grossulariaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Golden currant is a California native shrub found in northern coastal interior California, San Francisco Bay Area, southern coastal ranges, and southwestern California in alluvial areas and forest edges at elevations of 105 to 910 meters. Flowering from February to May, this plant produces yellow flowers that age to deep red, with petals emerging in small clusters. Growing with multiple stems 1 to 2 meters tall, it forms a dense, branching structure characteristic of currant species. Its leaves are generally lobed and divided, arranged alternately along the branches with varying shapes and sizes. The fruit is a small, edible golden to reddish berry typical of Ribes species.

Habitat: Alluvial areas, forest edges

Bloom period: Feb-May

Elevation: 105-910 m

Bioregions: NCoRI, SnFrB, SCoR, SW.

California counties: Los Angeles, Santa Clara, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Lake, Monterey, San Benito, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Riverside, San Mateo, Alameda, San Joaquin, Glenn, Modoc, Fresno, San Diego, Stanislaus, Plumas

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.