Melinda Myers

Rhubarb

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 & 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

Problems

Rhubarb curculio, fungal leaf spot

Varieties

• Cherry Red - red both inside and outside the petiole (leafstalk)
• Canada Red - sweet, thick stalks
• Victoria - green petiole shaded with red