Blackcurrants are not banned in the US at the federal level, and haven’t been since 1966. Regulation was handed to the states, and a small number still prohibit or restrict growing the plants. Processed blackcurrant products — jams, juices, supplements — are legal to buy and sell nationwide. Whether you can legally put a blackcurrant bush in the ground depends entirely on which state you live in.
Which States Still Restrict Blackcurrants
State laws never lined up uniformly after the federal ban ended, and the patchwork doesn’t follow a clean geographic pattern. Before ordering plants or planting anything, check with your state’s Department of Agriculture or a local cooperative extension office. Fines and forced removal are real possibilities in states that still regulate Ribes plants.
Outright Bans
A few states prohibit growing blackcurrants entirely. Maine bans European black currant along with all its varieties and hybrids statewide. Massachusetts prohibits planting black currants under its plant quarantine regulations. North Carolina bans the sale, growing, or planting of all currants and gooseberries.
Permit or Variety Restrictions
Some states allow cultivation only under specific conditions. New Hampshire permits only blister-rust-resistant varieties, and growers need permission from the state’s Division of Forests and Lands. Rhode Island requires separate permits for importing and planting Ribes species, each costing $50.
States That Allow Cultivation
Many states now allow blackcurrants freely, particularly where white pine forests aren’t a major economic concern. New York lifted its ban in 2003, and states such as Connecticut and Oregon have active blackcurrant growers.1Cornell Chronicle. Welcome Back Black Currants: Forbidden Fruit Making a Comeback in New York
The examples above aren’t exhaustive. Some states have rules buried in agricultural codes that aren’t widely publicized, and regulations change. Confirm before you buy.
Why the Ban Existed and Why It Ended
Around 1911, federal officials banned blackcurrants and other plants in the Ribes family after learning that a fungal disease called white pine blister rust needed both a pine tree and a Ribes plant to complete its life cycle. Blackcurrants were the most susceptible host, and the U.S. had invested heavily in white pine timber. Federal crews pulled Ribes plants from fields, backyards, and wild forests across the country.2Library of Congress Blogs. America’s Blackcurrant Ban
In 1966, disease-resistant varieties had been developed and the blanket federal prohibition was lifted. Rather than fully repealing the restrictions, the federal government left it to individual states to decide based on local timber interests and blister rust risk.1Cornell Chronicle. Welcome Back Black Currants: Forbidden Fruit Making a Comeback in New York
Rust-Resistant Cultivars
Disease-resistant cultivars are the reason blackcurrants have staged a comeback, and they’re often the key to legal cultivation in states that still regulate Ribes. Even states with active restrictions frequently make exceptions for resistant varieties.
Consort and Titania are the two most widely available and proven resistant varieties, both highly resistant to white pine blister rust and commonly sold by U.S. nurseries. Other resistant cultivars include Crusader, Coronet, and Canadian-bred varieties such as Blackcomb and Tahsis. Always confirm that the specific cultivar is approved for your state. Some states list exactly which varieties are permitted, and planting one that isn’t on the list can still violate the law.
Local nurseries that specialize in fruit plants tend to be the safest source, because they stock varieties appropriate for the area and can confirm compliance. Online nurseries also ship blackcurrants, but reputable ones flag restricted states at checkout. If an online seller doesn’t, treat it as a warning sign about the operation.
Bringing Plants In From Another Country
Importing blackcurrant plant material from abroad triggers federal oversight through USDA APHIS regardless of your state’s rules. Blackcurrants fall under the agency’s Plant Germplasm Quarantine Program for small fruit clones. Plants arrive as cuttings or bare-rooted stock and must undergo testing for graft-transmissible pathogens, with dormant buds grafted onto sensitive indicator plants to detect infections.3Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). Plant Quarantine Programs Managed by APHIS-PPQa>
Clean plants can be released within two to three years. Infected material goes through heat treatment and retesting, extending the timeline. The process applies to commercial breeders and hobbyists alike. You cannot simply mail-order a cutting from a European nursery and plant it.4Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). Plant Quarantine Programs Managed by APHIS-PPQ
Interstate shipping of live Ribes plants within the U.S. is regulated by both USDA APHIS and individual state plant regulatory agencies. Nurseries shipping across state lines must comply with the destination state’s rules, which may prohibit the shipment entirely or require specific documentation.
Buying Blackcurrant Foods and Supplements
The restrictions apply to live plants, not processed foods. Blackcurrant jams, juices, dried fruit, and supplements are legal to buy and sell throughout the United States. White pine blister rust needs living plant tissue to spread, so a jar of preserves poses no risk to pine forests.
Fresh blackcurrants remain uncommon at American grocery stores because the fruit largely vanished from U.S. agriculture for most of the twentieth century. Most Americans encounter blackcurrants through imported European products, supplements, or small domestic farms that have started cultivating them as state bans have lifted.