Why is black currant illegal in the United States?

Why is black currant illegal in the United States?

It is a carrier of a fungus called white pine blister rust. Hence, blackcurrant was declared illegal to protect pine forests. Blackcurrants were responsible for the spread of white pine blister rust, a type of fungus that began gradually killing white pine trees.

What is the difference between blackcurrant and currant?

As nouns the difference between blackcurrant and currant is that blackcurrant is a shrub that produces small, very dark purple, edible berries while currant is a small dried grape, usually the black corinth grape, rarely more than 4mm diameter when dried.

Is a currant a grape or a berry?

Raisins, sultanas, and Zante currants are all sweet dried fruits that stem from different varieties of vine-grown grapes, while currants really are a fresh bush-grown berry that is tart rather than sweet.

Where do currants grow?

Currants grow well in sun or partial shade, and appreciate afternoon shade in warm climates. Currant shrubs prefer the cool conditions in USDA plant hardiness zones 3 through 5.

What are English currants?

Currants are small dried black grapes, used especially in cakes. countable noun. Currants are bushes which produce edible red, black, or white berries. The berries are also called currants.

What are currants made from?

Not to be confused with the black currant, which is a type of berry, currants are raisins made from a specific type of grape — Black Corinth. They are also called Zante currants or Corinth currants. When dried for a few weeks, these tiny grapes get even smaller, and they pack a sweet and tangy flavor.

Where do currants grow in the US?

Therefore, some states start reversing the federal ban on this berry. However, Europe still remains the producer of 99% of the world’s black currants stock. Today, these plants are successfully grown in New York, Connecticut, Oregon, and Vermont. Yet, the majority of Americans can only enjoy processed or dried berries.

Why is it illegal to grow red currants?

The federal government had banned the growing of black and red currants in 1911 when the burgeoning logging industry put pressure on lawmakers to eliminate the currants because they were thought to be an intermediate host of white pine blister rust.

In the U.S., when most people refer to currants, they are talking about the type made from dried Corinth grapes. Another way they are referred to is “Zante currants,” or sometimes Corinth raisins. Black Corinth is the most commonly used grape, but White Corinth and Red Corinth grapes are also sometimes dried.

Where do Zante currants come from?

The grapes were originally cultivated in the south of Greece and most often from the island of Zante, hence the name Zante Currant in the US. The name currant comes from the ancient city of ‘Corinth’ Other names for currants are Zante currants, Corinth raisins, or Corinthian raisins, but in the UK and Ireland, simply called currants.

What kind of tree has red currants?

Ripe red currants. Currants are glossy red or black berries that grow on thornless upright shrubs. To be classified as a currant, the bush must be in the genus Ribes. Native to the Northern Hemisphere, these plants have been cultivated throughout Europe and Asia for centuries.

Why are raisins called currants?

It is believed that the name “currant” is a corruption of Corinth and might have originated when the raisins were first imported into the U.S. during the 1920s. The raisins are much smaller and more flavorful than conventional raisins, and they are a popular addition to currant cake and other slightly savory dessert items.