Cold hardiness & minimum temperature

Is Black Redcurrant (Ribes nigrum 'Ben Lomond')cold hardy? Hardiness zone & min temp

Also called Ben Lomond blackcurrant.

More about black redcurrant

About Black Redcurrant

Ribes nigrum 'Ben Lomond' · also called Ben Lomond blackcurrant · edible

'Ben Lomond' is a reliable, heavy-cropping blackcurrant valued for its late flowering, which dodges spring frosts, and its good mildew resistance. It bears large, tart, vitamin-C-rich berries in mid-summer on a sturdy, upright bush. Hardy and easy in any sunny or part-shaded spot with rich, moist soil, it suits jam, cordials, and freezing.

Cold limit: USDA 3-8 (very hardy; needs winter chill to fruit well) · RHS H6 (10-24°C)

Watch for — Big bud mite: Mites swell dormant buds to round 'big buds' and can spread reversion virus. Pick off and destroy affected buds in winter; replace badly infected, virus-affected bushes with certified stock.

What black redcurrant's hardiness rating actually means

Yes — black redcurrant is genuinely cold hardy. Rated RHS H6 and USDA 3-8 (very hardy; needs winter chill to fruit well), it lives outdoors all year and needs winter cold rather than protection from it. Its RHS rating of H6 means: Hardy throughout the UK and northern Europe. On the US scale that maps to USDA 3-8 (very hardy; needs winter chill to fruit well) — the zones where it can be left outdoors year-round.

New to these scales? The USDA hardiness zone map explained covers how the zone numbers work, and you can find your own zone with the zone finder.

Minimum temperature — and what happens below it

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly about −20 to −15 °C. Black Redcurrant is built for winter — once established it takes hard frost and snow in its stride.

Concretely, for black redcurrant as it gets too cold:

It tolerates winter lows to about −20 to −15 °C once established.
Below its rated zone, the visible damage is browned or blackened top growth and, in the worst case, a killed crown or root.
First-year, newly planted, or container-grown specimens are noticeably less hardy than established garden plants — the roots are exposed.

Can black redcurrant go outside or overwinter — and where?

Plant it out within USDA 3-8 (very hardy; needs winter chill to fruit well) and it overwinters with little or no help.
It does not want to come indoors — a warm winter room actually weakens a hardy plant by denying it dormancy.
The real risks in its range are waterlogging, wind-rock on young plants, and a late hard frost on new growth — not ordinary winter cold.

Work back from your local frost dates with the frost-date calculator: the last spring frost and first autumn frost are what really decide when black redcurrant can be outside. US growers can check USDA zones; UK growers should use the RHS hardiness ratings, which match the H6 figure above.

Black Redcurrant hardiness — frequently asked questions

Is black redcurrant cold hardy?

Yes — black redcurrant is genuinely cold hardy. Rated RHS H6 and USDA 3-8 (very hardy; needs winter chill to fruit well), it lives outdoors all year and needs winter cold rather than protection from it. An outdoor plant. Black Redcurrant is hardy across USDA 3-8 (very hardy; needs winter chill to fruit well); it belongs in the ground or a frost-proof container, not on a windowsill, and many types actively need a cold winter to perform.

What is the minimum temperature black redcurrant can survive?

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly about −20 to −15 °C. Black Redcurrant is built for winter — once established it takes hard frost and snow in its stride.

What hardiness zone is black redcurrant?

Black Redcurrant is rated USDA 3-8 (very hardy; needs winter chill to fruit well) and RHS H6 — Hardy throughout the UK and northern Europe.

Can black redcurrant survive winter outside?

Plant it out within USDA 3-8 (very hardy; needs winter chill to fruit well) and it overwinters with little or no help. It does not want to come indoors — a warm winter room actually weakens a hardy plant by denying it dormancy. The real risks in its range are waterlogging, wind-rock on young plants, and a late hard frost on new growth — not ordinary winter cold.

What happens to black redcurrant below its minimum temperature?

It tolerates winter lows to about −20 to −15 °C once established. Below its rated zone, the visible damage is browned or blackened top growth and, in the worst case, a killed crown or root. First-year, newly planted, or container-grown specimens are noticeably less hardy than established garden plants — the roots are exposed.