Red or white currants grown in the Southwest of the US

[monroele]

Is there anybody out there in the Southwest who has grown currants?
I always loved to eat currants and since I live in the Southwest I have not even seen currants in the stores? The same with gooseberries?

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

a lot of places pretty much outlawed them years ago because they feared they would carry the white pine blister virus which can harm the white pine trees. some states have removed that ban and others still want you to register their location with the state you are in. there are some varieties you can get that are safe to grow but they have to come from certified nurseries. check with your local cooperative extension, they should be able to tell you which varieties are safe to grow in your area.

gooseberries and currants are related so they can both carry the same virus.