Ribes spp. (Currant) State Restrictions & Permit Requirements

Be sure to review the list below to find out more about restrictions and permit requirements in your state. For further clarification, reach out to your state Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Office. 

Delaware: MATERIALS REGULATED: Plants of Ribes spp.

RESTRICTIONS: Shipment of regulated materials into and cultivation within Delaware will

be allowed, provided a permit authorizing shipment into this area and planting and

propagation within the area is obtained from the Plant Industries Section. No permits shall be

issued for the plants Ribes aureum(Golden) or Ribes nigrum(Black.)

Maine: MATERIALS REGULATED: Plants of Ribes spp.

RESTRICTIONS: (1) Ribes nigrum(Black) is prohibited to all destinations in Maine. (2)

Possession and planting of all other species of Ribes is prohibited in the following

counties: Androscoggin, Cumberland, Hancock, Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc,

Waldo, York and parts of Aroostook, Franklin, Oxford, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Somerset

and Washington.

Massachusetts: MATERIALS REGULATED: Plants of Ribes spp.

RESTRICTIONS: (1) Ribes nigrum is prohibited from all parts of the state. (2) Possession and

planting of all other Ribes spp. is prohibited from many towns in MA; see

http://www.mass.gov/eea/docs/agr/legal/regs/330-cmr-9-00.pdf for a list of towns. (3) Entry of

Ribes spp. into unregulated areas (towns not on the list linked to above) must be accompanied

by a control area permit issued by the Division of Crop & Pest Services, contact Howard Vinton

at howard.vinton@mass.gov.

See list below for counties with restrictions: 

Michigan: MATERIALS REGULATED: Roots, cuttings or plants of currants and gooseberries,

Ribes spp.

RESTRICTIONS: Sale of black currant, Ribes nigrum, roots, cuttings, or plants is

prohibited statewide. Sales of other currant species and gooseberries are also regulated

for counties in the white pine blister rust control area – see map on the MDARD web site

at www.michigan.gov/pestquarantines . Rust-resistant Ribes varieties may be obtained

under special permit if approved by Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural

Development. Applications for Ribes permits may be obtained from MDARD by

contacting Amber Neils, Export and Compliance Program Specialist at (517) 449-0786;

email NeilsA@michigan.gov.

Here is further information on White Pine Rust Resistant Currant & Gooseberry Varietals

New Hampshire: MATERIALS REGULATED: Plants of all species and varieties of Ribes.

RESTRICTIONS: Only the following species and varieties of currants and gooseberries

shall be imported and planted:

Black Currant: “Crandall”, “Willoughby”

Red Currant: “Rondom”

White Currant: “White currant 1301”

Gooseberry and Gooseberry crosses: “Jahns Prairie”, “Captivator”, “Careless”,

“Clark”, “Crown Bob”, “Downing”, “Howards Lancer”, “Sabine”, “Jostaberry”

Planting these varieties within New Hampshire shall be by permit approved by the NH

Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, Division of Forests and Lands.

New Jersey: MATERIALS REGULATED: Plants of all species of Ribes and Grossularia.

RESTRICTIONS: Ribes nigrum is only allowed under special permit. Contact NJ

Dept. of Agriculture for list of requirements. The movement of all other species of

Ribes sp. and Grossularia sp. is prohibited into the following townships: Montague,

Sandyston, Walpack and Vernon in Sussex County; West Milford, Ringwood and

Wanaque in Passaic County; Jefferson in Morris County.

North Carolina: MATERIALS REGULATED: All wild and cultivated currant and gooseberry plants(Ribes spp.).

RESTRICTIONS: The sale, growing, or planting of currants and gooseberries in North

Carolina is prohibited.

Ohio: MATERIALS REGULATED: All varieties of black currant, Ribes nigrum.

RESTRICTIONS: Seven varieties (Consort, Coronet, Crusader, Titania, Lowes Auslese, Polar and Willoughby) have been shown to be immune and can be shipped into Ohio. All other varieties of black currant are prohibited.

Rhode Island: MATERIALS REGULATED: Plants of the genus Ribes.

RESTRICTIONS: Ribes nigrum(Black), R. odoratum(Clove) and R. aureum(Golden) are prohibited in all parts of the state. Other Ribes spp. can be imported into, or transported or planted within, Rhode Island only after obtaining a permit from the RI DEM Division of Agriculture and Forestry.

Virginia: MATERIALS REGULATED: European black currant plants (Ribes nigrum)

RESTRICTIONS: Since European black currant plants, Ribes nigrum, are capable of

harboring and disseminating the destructive disease of white pine, commonly known as

White Pine Blister Rust, Cronartium ribicola, European black currant plants may not be

moved to any destination in Virginia.