Since I have been unable to locate a full and recent list of state legality regarding plants of the Ribes genus, I compiled my own comprehensive list. Like the laws themselves, this list is dynamic so please contact me if any of the information here is out of date. Please check with your local extension office for confirmation before getting involved with the Ribes genus in any regard.
Summarized: Ribes plants really are forbidden fruit to some people. Residents of New Hampshire, North Carolina and West Virginia are completely out of luck as those states enforce a statewide ban on all Ribes species. Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Rhode Island enforce a permit system. Most other states ban Ribes cultivars that are not resistant to the White Pine Blister Rust (WPBR) pathogen but below is the complete breakdown.
All the sources provided are from state legislature, extension offices or state universities.
State:
Alabama
- No Restrictions Found
- http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/alabgard/msg0510591428253.html?8
Alaska
- No Restrictions Found
Arizona
- No Restrictions Found
Arkansas
- No Restrictions Found
California
- No Restrictions Found
Colorado
- No Restrictions Found
Connecticut
- No Restrictions Found
- http://www.ct.gov/caes/cwp/view.asp?a=2823&q=377656
Delaware
- Black currant Prohibited
Permit required for all others - http://regulations.delaware.gov/AdminCode/title3/800/803.shtml#P2_20
Florida
- No Restrictions Found
Georgia
- No Restrictions Found
Hawaii
- No Restrictions Found
Idaho
- No Restrictions Found
Illinois
- No Restrictions Found
Indiana
- No Restrictions Found
Iowa
- No Restrictions Found
Kansas
- No Restrictions Found
Kentucky
- No Restrictions Found
Louisiana
- No Restrictions Found
Maine
- “European Black Currant, Ribes nigrum prohibited state-wide
The sale, transportation, further planting or possession of plants of the genus Ribes (commonly) known as currant and gooseberry plants, including cultivated, wild, or ornamental sorts is prohibited in the following Counties in the State of Maine, to wit: York, Cumberland, Androscoggin, Kennebec, Sagadahoc, Lincoln, Knox, Waldo, Hancock, and parts of Oxford, Franklin, Somerset, Piscataquis, Penobscot, Aroostook, and Washington” - http://www.maine.gov/dacf/mfs/forest_health/quarantine_information.html
Maryland
- No Restrictions Found
- https://extension.umd.edu/growit/fruit-profiles/getting-started-small-fruit
Massachusetts
- Black Currant Prohibited
- Permit required for others except in extensive quarantine areas
- http://www.mass.gov/eea/docs/agr/legal/regs/330-cmr-9-00.pdf
- Check the quarantine list!
Michigan
- Black currant Prohibited
- All others allowed
- http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(fnhfaj45izgf1055pho2eajl))/mileg.aspx?page=GetObject&objectname=mcl-act-313-of-1929
Minnesota
- No Restrictions Found
Mississippi
- No Restrictions Found
Missouri
- No Restrictions Found
Montana
- No Restrictions Found
Nebraska
- No Restrictions Found
Nevada
- No Restrictions Found
New Hampshire
- All Ribes spp. Prohibited
- http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/XIX-A/227-K/227-K-6.htm
New Jersey
- 2. The possession or movement of plant cultivars and hybrids of European Black Currant (Ribes nigrum L.) into or within New Jersey is only allowed under special permit issued by the Department.
- 3. The possession or movement of red currant and gooseberry plants (Ribes sp. and Grossularia sp.) is allowed into or within New Jersey except the following municipalities, constituting a protective area: Montague, Sandyston, Walpack and Vernon Townships in Sussex County; West Milford, Ringwood Borough and Wanaque Township in Passaic County, and Jefferson Township in Morris County.
- 4. Currant plants and gooseberry plants other than the European Black Currant (Ribes nigrum L.) may be moved into and within all other points in New Jersey by complying with the general requirements of the New Jersey Department of Agriculture for the movement of nursery stock (N.J.S.A. 4:7-16 et seq.).
- http://www.nj.gov/agriculture/divisions/pi/prog/plantpest.html
New Mexico
- No Restrictions Found
New York
- No ban on disease resistant plants
- http://www.fruit.cornell.edu/mfruit/gooseberries.html
North Carolina
- All Ribes spp. Prohibited
- http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/specialty_crops/publications/other_docs/NCRegulations_Currants_Gooseberries.doc
- http://www.ncagr.gov/plantindustry/plant/disease/48A-04.htm
North Dakota
- No Restrictions Found
Ohio
- The current Ohio law (Regulation AG-71-85.01) to
suppress and control White Pine Blister Rust Disease is
as follows: - (A) The European black currant, Ribes nigrum L. or any
variety of this species is hereby declared to be a public
nuisance, and it shall be unlawful for any person to
possess, transport, plant, propagate, sell, or offer for
sale, plants, roots, scions, seeds, or cuttings of these
plants in this state. - (B) Recognized varieties, e.g., “Consort” produced by the
hybridization of Ribes nigrum L. or a variety thereof
with a resistant or immune species, known to be immune
or highly resistant to the White Pine Blister Rust
fungus, (Cronartium ribicola, Fischer) are exempt from
the restrictions imposed by paragraph (A) above.
Note: Ohio law does not prohibit the planting of red
currants or gooseberries within the state. - http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/3000/pdf/3205.pdf
Oklahoma
- No Restrictions Found
Oregon
- No Restrictions Found
Pennsylvania
- No ban enforced
- http://extension.psu.edu/plants/gardening/fphg/gooseberries-currants/legal-restrictions
Rhode Island
- Black currant Prohibited
- Permit required for all others
- http://www.dem.ri.gov/pubs/regs/regs/agric/pinebls2.pdf
South Carolina
- No Restrictions Found
South Dakota
- No Restrictions Found
Tennessee
- No Restrictions Found
Texas
- No Restrictions Found
Utah
- No Restrictions Found
Vermont
- No Restrictions Found
- http://extension.umass.edu/fruitadvisor/ne-small-fruit-management-guide/currants-and-gooseberries
Virginia
- Non-disease resistant Black Currants prohibited
- All others allowed
- http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/438/438-107/438-107.html#L6
Washington
- No Restrictions Found
West Virginia
- All Ribes spp. Prohibited
- http://www.wvagriculture.org/images/Plant_Industries/WV_White_Pine_Blister_Rust_Quarantine.pdf
Wisconsin
- No Restrictions Found
Wyoming
- No Restrictions Found
Interesting, though also alarming. It doesn’t affect me in the UK, so would never have though black currants and gooseberries could be considered a public nuisance!
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Here in the states it was a typical case of forestry mismanagement. Then to cover their tracks they spent millions of dollars in have people literally walk side by side destroying native ribes plants. What a mess!
And too bad since ribes plants are fantastic for high latitude, cold weather and shaded spots!
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Too right!
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Today I found that the Plants for Planting Manual does not prohibit the entry of Ribes into Wisconsin nor do you need a permit according to this manual.. however, manuals before it, namely 03/205-34, did state Ribes required a permit to enter Wisconsin…
According to 7 CRF 319.37-3(a) (5), dated 2012, Ribes requires a permit to enter Wisconsin.
Not sure what to believe
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Hello, NH will allow home gardeners to plant a few species of Ribes that are resistant to WPBR, with a requested permit: https://www.nhdfl.org/community/permits. The permits are not hard to get; I wrote in, explained the location of plantings, and was granted a permit.
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