The berries from this shrub are edible, but very acrid to the taste. The cultivated Oregon grape, common in many landscapes, also has a purple, bitter-tasting berry. It is a small semi-evergreen shrub that produces bright yellow flowers in the late spring. The fall color can also be striking as the foliage turns to a purple-bronze color. This shrub grows near stream beds throughout the canyons.
Currant fruit is a favorite for eating fresh, or to use in preserves or pies.
Besides the redeeming value of being an edible fruit, golden currants also have wonderful fall color. A few local nurseries sell native currant plants as well as the Alpine currant. Both of these plants make a nice informal hedge or can be planted in groups. The common chokecherry, considered to be a weed by some people, has small fruit that is highly sought after by others. I consider the fragrant white flowers in the spring more valuable than the late summer fruit.