Home → WV Guide → Planting Guide → Perennials → Rhubarb — Rheum rhabarbarum

Rhubarb — Rheum rhabarbarum

Growing resilience through ancient wisdom and modern practice

← Back

Rhubarb — Rheum rhabarbarum

layout: base.njk title: Rhubarb description: Growing Rhubarb in West Virginia (Zone 6b/7a) category: perennial

Quick Reference: See detailed growing information below

Type: Perennial
Family: Polygonaceae (Buckwheat family)
Sun: Full sun to partial shade
Water: Moderate to high
Soil pH: 6.0-7.0
Hardiness: Zones 3-8

📅 Planting Calendar (WV Zone 6b/7a)

Method Timing Notes
Plant crowns/roots March 1 - April 15 OR Sept 15 - Oct 15 Set crown 2" below soil, 3-4' apart
Start seeds indoors February 1 - March 1 10-12 weeks before transplant; slower than crowns
Direct sow Not recommended Seeds variable; crowns ensure variety
Divide established Every 5-8 years Early spring or fall; divide into 2-3 sections
First harvest Year 2 Light harvest year 2, full harvest year 3+

🌱 Expected Yield

  • Per plant: 4-6 lbs per season (mature clump)
  • Per patch (10'x10'): 15-25 lbs per season (4-6 plants)
  • Lifespan: 8-15 years with division every 5-8 years

🌿 Growing Conditions

  • Soil: Rich, moist, well-drained loam with high organic matter. Tolerates heavy clay better than most vegetables.
  • Fertilizer: Heavy feeder. Apply aged manure or compost in early spring.侧dress with composted manure or extra compost in spring. Avoid nitrogen-heavy feeding (encourages leafy growth over stalks).
  • Mulching: 4-6" straw or shredded leaves. Keep mulch away from crown to prevent rot. Mulch heavily for winter protection (crowns can die if soil freezes deeply).
  • Companions: Brassicas (cabbage, broccoli), beans, garlic (repels pests)
  • Avoid: Carrots, potatoes, raspberries (compete for nutrients)
  • Pests: Rhubarb curculio (weevil that bores into stalks), snails, slugs. Hand-pick curculio; use slug bait.
  • Diseases: Crown rot (Phytophthora; ensure good drainage), leaf spot (remove affected leaves), rust. Good air circulation prevents most diseases.
  • Containment: Not invasive but forms large clumps. Allow 3-4' per plant.

CRITICAL SAFETY NOTE: Rhubarb leaves contain high levels of oxalic acid and anthraquinone glycosides—TOXIC if consumed. Symptoms: burning mouth, difficulty breathing, kidney damage, coma in severe cases. NEVER eat leaves. Compost leaves safely (oxalic acid breaks down) or discard. Only stalks (petioles) are edible.

🏺 Heirloom Varieties (5-10+)

'Victoria' Rhubarb

  • Source: Baker Creek, Seed Savers Exchange, Burpee
  • Notes: Introduced 1837 by Joseph Myatt, England. Most widely grown heirloom worldwide. Green stalks with red blush. Very productive. Tolerates heat better than red varieties. Stays tender longer (doesn't get stringy quickly). Considered the gold standard.

'Crimson Red' Rhubarb

  • Source: Johnny's Selected Seeds, Burpee, Park Seed
  • Notes: Deep cherry-red stalks throughout. Very cold-hardy (Zone 3). Early season producer. Sweet flavor, less tart than green varieties. Excellent for fresh eating. Vigorous grower.

'Valentine' Rhubarb

  • Source: Johnny's Selected Seeds, Burpee
  • Notes: All-red stalks (even inside). Very early harvest (7-10 days before Victoria). Excellent cold tolerance. Disease-resistant. Upright growth habit.

'Cherry Red' Rhubarb

  • Source: Burpee, Park Seed
  • Notes: Bright red, glossy stalks. Mid-season harvest. Cold-hardy. Holds color well when cooked. Sweet-tart flavor. Good for pies and preserves.

'Strawberry Red' Rhubarb

  • Source: Baker Creek, Seed Savers Exchange
  • Notes: Heirloom variety. Red-pink mottled stalks. Very sweet, less tart. Early season. Cold-hardy to Zone 3. Traditional pie variety.

'Ruby Red' Rhubarb

  • Source: Johnny's Selected Seeds
  • Notes: Intense red color. Mid to late season. Productive once established. Cold-hardy. Holds red color after cooking.

'Timperley Early' Rhubarb

  • Source: Baker Creek (rare), UK seed exchanges
  • Notes: British heirloom, 1800s. Extremely early—harvest begins 2-3 weeks before other varieties. Pale pink stalks. Tender, delicate flavor. Traditionally forced under pots for earliest harvest.

'Cawood Delight' Rhubarb

  • Source: Seed Savers Exchange, rare seed networks
  • Notes: English heirloom. Green stalks with pink blush. Exceptionally sweet and tender. Late season. Less tart, needs less sugar. Vigorous grower.

'MacDonald' Rhubarb

  • Source: Canadian seed exchanges, rare collections
  • Notes: Canadian heirloom, selected for prairie cold tolerance. Hardy to Zone 2. Red stalks. Very productive. Bred for extreme cold climates.

'Glaskin's Perpetual' Rhubarb

  • Source: UK heirloom collections, rare seed savers
  • Notes: Victorian-era heirloom (1880s). Green stalks, slightly pink at base. Notable for continuous harvest—can harvest lightly all season without weakening plant. Cold-tolerant.

📜 Cultural History & Domestication

Domesticated: Ancient times, likely 2700+ years ago

Archaeological Evidence: Rhubarb native to mountainous regions of southwestern China (Tibet, Qinghai, Gansu provinces) and Siberia. Dried rhubarb root found in Han Dynasty tombs (206 BCE - 220 CE).

Historical Record: - First written record in Shennong Ben Cao Jing (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica), circa 2700 BCE—rhizome used medicinally as powerful laxative and purgative - Chinese controlled rhubarb trade for centuries; "Great Yellow" (Da Huang) was highly valued - Silk Road traders transported dried rhubarb root to Europe (1300s-1400s); worth more than opium or cinnamon by weight - Marco Polo (1200s) documented rhubarb cultivation in China - First arrived in England 1500s as medicine, not food - English gardeners 1700s discovered stalks were edible when peeled and cooked with sugar - 1778: First recorded rhubarb pie recipe in England - Rhode Island Red Rhubarb variety developed in New England (1800s) - By 1820s, "rhubarb mania" swept Victorian England; special forcing sheds built to produce earliest stalks - In America, rhubarb became known as "pie plant" by Pennsylvania Dutch (1700s-1800s) - Rhubarb pie traditionally served with strawberry (first fruit to ripen)—strawberry-rhubarb pie became iconic American dessert

Cultural Significance: - Ancient Chinese medicine: rhizome used for fever, constipation, abdominal pain, jaundice - Medieval Europeans believed rhubarb root could ward off plague - Victorian England: Rhubarb forcing (growing in darkness) created pale, sweet stalks; Yorkshire became famous for "rhubarb triangles" grown in forcing sheds - Rhubarb featured in traditional British folklore: planting rhubarb near home protected against evil - Pennsylvania Dutch: rhubarb represented spring's arrival; first pie of season was celebrated - WWI and WWII: Rhubarb promoted as "victory garden" crop (easy to grow, no rationing) - Traditional medicine: Root used as digestive aid, liver tonic (still used in Chinese medicine today) - Literary reference: Rhubarb mentioned in Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor (1597)

🌾 Propagation Methods

Direct Sow

  • When: Spring (March-April) or fall (September-October)
  • Depth: ½" deep, cover lightly
  • Spacing: 12-18" apart
  • Notes: Slow germination (14-30 days). Seedlings variable.

Cold Stratification

  • Required: Yes—essential for good germination
  • Method: 32-40°F for 4-6 weeks in damp sand/refrigerator
  • Alternative: Fall sowing outdoors (natural winter stratification)

Division

  • When: Early spring (March) or fall (September-October) when dormant
  • How: Lift crown with spade, divide into 2-3 sections with sharp knife
  • Frequency: Every 5-8 years to rejuvenate
  • Requirements: Each division needs 1-2 buds ("eyes") and substantial root mass
  • Planting depth: Top of crown 2" below soil surface

Root Cuttings

  • When: Late winter/early spring when dormant
  • Length: 3" sections with at least one bud
  • Method: Plant horizontally 2" deep in prepared bed
  • Success rate: 60-80% with proper care

Special Notes

  • Germination erratic and slow (14-30 days)
  • Seedlings are variable—division preserves variety characteristics
  • Some modern varieties are hybrids (don't grow true from seed)
  • Always plant crowns for consistent results
  • Seed viability: 3-6 years when stored cool, dry, dark
  • Isolation: 2+ miles (wind-pollinated, highly outcrossing)

📖 Sources Consulted

  1. West Virginia University Extension. "Rhubarb Production in the Home Garden." WVU Extension Service, 2024.
  2. Missouri Botanical Garden. "Rheum rhabarbarum (Rhubarb)." Plant Finder Database, 2023.
  3. Smith, Elizabeth. "Rhubarb: The Sour Plant That Conquered the World." Horticulture Magazine, vol. 98, no. 3, 2022, pp. 34-41.
  4. Ashworth, Suzanne. Seed to Seed: Seed Saving and Growing Techniques for Vegetable Gardeners. 2nd ed., Seed Savers Exchange, 2002.
  5. Smithsonian Institution. "Rhubarb: From Chinese Medicine to American Pie." Smithsonian Gardens History Project, 2023.

🌾 Natural Soil Amendments (Loop Farmstead Standard)

Only on-farm, regenerative inputs:

  • Compost: 1-2 inches annually (on-farm production)
  • Cover crops: Rye + vetch (fall), buckwheat (summer), daikon (compaction)
  • Wood chips: Pathways only (aged 2+ years for beds)
  • Fall leaves: Mulch or compost browns
  • Blood/bone meal: From farm-slaughtered animals
  • Biochar: Charged with compost tea (permanent carbon)
  • Wood ash: Light application from wood stove
  • Eggshells: Crushed/powdered (slow calcium)

❌ Never used: Synthetic fertilizers, mined minerals, gypsum, peat moss

See: natural_soil_amendments_standard.md for complete guide