Botanical Name
Rheum x cultorum
Hardiness
Zones 3 to 8
Height
2 to 3 feet
Width
3 to 4 feet
Flowers
Upright white spikes on stalks of up to 5 feet
Light
Full sun to part shade
Soil
Moist, well-drained, organic
Planting and Care
Dig and divide existing plants, or plant dormant crowns with at least one strong bud 1 to 3 inches deep and 2 to 3 feet apart. Do not harvest newly planted rhubarb during the first year - allow plants to establish themselves. Remove flower stalks as they appear.
Harvesting
Do not harvest new plantings of rhubarb. Harvest two-year-old plants for one or two weeks.Keep harvesting older, established plantings for eight to ten weeks. Allow the leaves to grow and produce energy to build a strong plant for next season's harvest. Eating summer rhubarb is not harmful (it is not poisonous), but it can weaken the plant and reduce future harvests.
Pull or cut the leafstalks from the plants when they are 12 to 15 inches high. Remove the leaf (it is toxic), and just enjoy the stem.
Problems
Varieties to Consider
'Canada Red' - sweet, thick stalks
'Victoria' - green petiole shaded with red