[4] From June to July, 6–13 small, purplish flowers are displayed in pendulous racemes, 4–7 cm (1+1⁄2–2+3⁄4 in) long.

[5] Ribes triste is widespread across Canada and the northern United States, as well as in eastern Asia (Russia, China, Korea, Japan).

They later soak the fruit cakes in warm water and cooked them a sauce or mixed them with corn bread.

[13] The Ojibwe eat the berries raw, and also preserve them by cooking them, spreading them on birch bark into little cakes, which are dried and stored for winter use.

[19] The Upper Tanana use a decoction of the stems without the bark as a wash for sore eyes.