• Good source of vitamins and minerals
• Easy to maintain
• Versatile
• Contains antioxidants

Rhubarb is an attractive plant with large leaves and colourful stalks containing anthocyanins, which yield its red colour and research shows give protection to blood vessels and blood pressure. It is great to have your own plant in the garden and once established can used in pies and crumbles for many years to come.

Plant Care

• Height: 30-60cm
• Type: Hardy
• Aspect: Sun
• Soil: Any/alkaline
• Flower colour: White
• Flowering period: July – August

Rhubarb is a great plant to grow and once established will keep on providing juicy stems for years to come. Before planting, it is beneficial to add some well-rotted manure to the site to help improve the structure and fertility of the soil. Rhubarb likes a fairly sunny sitewith moist, free draining soilanddoesn’t likebecoming water logged in winter. It appreciates agood feed in March and it is better to wait a couple of years before any serious harvesting is done to give the crown time to form properly and thick stems to be produced. In late summer when the leaves die, take them off and expose the crown to winter frosts which will help it produce better stems in the following year. Rhubarb can be grown in large containers.

Usage

The sharp acidic flavoured stems of this popular vegetable are used in many desserts, puddings, savoury dishes, ice creams, jams and chutneys. The leaves are not eaten due to their high oxalic acid content. Rhubarb also has a long medicinal history for use in treating constipation because of its mild purgative action.