Cultivar 58: Wapago Golden

Wapago Golden is a golden currant selection. In N. E. Hansen's 1940 bulletin, it is presented as a 1939 introduction from native material found at Cottonwood in western South Dakota. Hansen called it "the best selection so far" from that local golden currant material. This places it within the South Dakota station's work of naming and evaluating hardy fruiting shrubs from northern and prairie adapted stock. [S1]

The plant was valued as both a fruiting shrub and an ornamental. The source describes a strong growing, drought resistant native shrub with abundant yellow flowers, smooth green leaves, and a rich spicy floral fragrance. It was recommended as a combined ornamental and fruit bearing shrub, not only as a fruit plant. [S1]

Its fruit is described as about three quarters of an inch across, with shining black skin and a pleasant acid flavor. The broader page context for golden currants adds that the species was regarded as good fresh and for preserves, though that note applies to golden currants generally, not to Wapago Golden alone. [S1]

A key detail is its performance under stress. The bulletin reports a heavy crop on crowded bushes in 1937 after the dry season of 1936. That helps explain why the selection mattered in prairie fruit work. It was not only attractive, but also productive under the dry conditions of western South Dakota. [S1]

The same page notes that the names of these golden currant selections were taken from the Sioux language, so Wapago follows a broader naming pattern within Hansen's introductions. The cited source does not give direct parentage, a release story beyond the 1939 entry, or an explicit winter hardiness zone statement. [S1]

Summary source basis

• S1: New Hardy Fruits for the Northwest

This summary currently draws chiefly from New Hardy Fruits for the Northwest.

Featured source descriptions

“The best selection so far of the golden currant as found native at Cottonwood, western South Dakota.”
— ^[1]

“The rich spicy fragrance of the abundant yellow flowers and the smooth green leaves add to the value of this strong-growing drouth-resistant native shrub.”
— ^[1]

“Indexed entry with reference to Bulletin 339, page 27.”
— ^[1]

“Pleasant acid.”
— ^[1]

Direct parent cultivars

• No direct linked parent cultivars promoted yet.

Parentage claim text

• No direct breeding_cross claim text yet.

Derived or downstream cultivar links

• No derived or downstream lineage links yet.

Source-story quotations

• The rich spicy fragrance of the abundant yellow flowers and the smooth green leaves, add to the value of this strong-growing drouth-resistant native shrubNew Hardy Fruits for the Northwest, p28
• The best selection so far of the golden currant as found native at Cottonwood, western South DakotaNew Hardy Fruits for the Northwest, p28
• Aheavy crop on crowded bushes in 1937, following the dry season 1936New Hardy Fruits for the Northwest, p28
• The fruit is % of an inch across, skin shining black, pleasant acidNew Hardy Fruits for the Northwest, p28

Taxonomy context: No family-tree context surfaced yet.

Related cultivars mentioned in source context