The red currant, Searsia chirindensis, is an attractive, African tree with lovely reddish autumn foliage. It is common throughout the eastern part of South Africa and is often grown in gardens.

The red currant is a semi-deciduous shrub to small tree, 6-10 m high (although exceptional specimens may reach 20 m).

In South Africa it occurs from Swellendam in Western Cape along the coastal belt, through Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, through the Natal midlands and up the escarpment into Mpumalanga and the eastern part of Limpopo [Northern Province]. In occurs naturally in forests, along forest margins, in riverine bush and scrub forest and rocky hillsides.

The red currant makes an excellent garden tree with its lovely autumn foliage. It is also attractive when in fruit and will attract various fruit-eating birds to the garden.

The red currant is a fast-growing tree (up to 1 m per year) and can be grown in full sun or partial shade. It should be planted in well-drained, composted soil. It does not have an aggressive root system. It should be pruned from an early age if a single-stemmed specimen tree is desired; if left unpruned it will grow into a multi-stemmed large shrub. It will tolerate moderate frosts and is drought hardy.

Young and coppicing branches are armed with spines, although the mature tree is spineless. The large leaves, which may grow to 130 mm long, have three leaflets and are dark green, turning red before falling in autumn.

The margin of the leaves is entire and usually undulate and ends in a tapering tip. The midrib is pinkish and usually sunken above and prominent below. The leaf stalk may be up to 70 mm long and is also pinkish red. The young leaves are reddish.

The tree is usually deciduous and leaves may turn reddish before falling. Leaves are up to 20cm long. Young hairless leaves are reddish and become glossy dark-green when mature. The lower side may be a lighter green.

The flowers are small, yellowish green and are borne in clusters at the ends of the branches from August to March. Male and female flowers occur on separate trees. The individual flowers are minute. They are only conspicuous because of the large numbers.