Currants belong to the genus Ribes. The name currant is thought to have originated in Corinth in Greece. In ancient times this city exported 'currants' to many European countries. These were in fact not currants at all, but small dried grapes, which we know as raisins today. The confusion most likely arose because of the similarity in size and colour between the two.
The three most popular varieties are red (Ribes rubrum), black (Ribes nigrum), and white currants. The black and red varieties are more popular than white currants. The deciduous shrub grows to a height of about 1.5m (5ft).