Can anyone help me identify this plant?

[AlfieIsInChina]

This plant has grown in my garden this year, never seen it before and iPlant doesn’t seem able to work it out - none of the descriptions match the plant itself.

The flowers are quite pretty but don’t want to leave it if it is a terrible weed or invasive. Can anyone help me identify it? My plant knowledge is very limited.

Thanks 🙂

Looks like a flowering currant. Should smell quite nice. Early spring flowering.

Yep, Ribes.
Some people think it smells of cat pee!

Oh I like it!

I just had a sniff and I get the cat pee comment but also slightly smells of blackcurrant squash!

is it OK to keep? Will the fruit be edible?

AI answer

Thank you all, I think I’ll leave it and see what it brings later in summer. 🙂

The currants are edible but pretty insipid and not abundant especially when black red and white currants are so full of flavour. Wild birds will like them though

I like the idea of leaving it for the birds and the flowers are pretty.

The bees love it too, even in a shady part of the garden, it's covered in bumblebees right now, mind you it is a massive shrub if you let it grow but happily withstands hard pruning.

Thank you for the advice. In that case, I might move it to a better location - not right now, but maybe after the berries have come and gone.

Late to this conversation but I absolutely love Ribes and can’t believe anyone would think it smells of cat pee!! One of my favourite scented plants and a sign that spring has sprung.