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Varieties

Number of rhubarb varieties |


Genebanks in more than 30 countries house Rheum's genetic resources worldwide. More than 33 unique species are preserved, including 565 cultivated accessions.

Around 21 cultivars remain very popular for commercial and domestic rhubarb production in New Zealand, North America and the United Kingdom. Many historically important cultivars are held in the collections of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) at Wisley and Harrow Carr, UK. Additional cultivars are held in genebank collections in the United States.

Note on the identification and naming of rhubarb varieties |

Firstly, the identification of rhubarb cultivars is problematic at best and very often unreliable. Most rhubarb growers name their plants either based on the general characteristics they exhibit or for the commercial appeal of the name. Few, if any, producers can trace the origin of genetic material with certainty. This for several good reasons. First of all, there are 60 to 100 known varieties of rhubarb and there is no key to identify the varieties. The situation is complicated by the fact that some sellers offer plants and roots germinated from seeds, often without informing their customers. These plants normally represent a new hybrid variety and may not bear much resemblance to their parent plants. Even worse is the fact that individual varieties change characteristics both during annual growth phases and as they age over the years. It is very difficult to identify a variety with certainty. We are all doing our best. However, it is better to rely on the description of the characteristics of the varieties rather than the name associated with it.

Second, a note on the characteristics associated with different varieties: it is generally accepted that the nutritional value of rhubarb does not vary significantly between varieties. The important differences are acidity, texture, flavor and color. Individual plants change acidity, texture and flavor as they age and even throughout the annual growth cycle. They tend to become more acidic and fibrous as the stems age each year. Organically grown plants can remain productive for 20 to 25 years in the same location provided adequate nutrients are added to the soil each year. However, if ignored, rhubarb will quickly deplete the soil. Most varieties are quite hardy and can tolerate a wide variety of conditions. They simply become small and unproductive under poor conditions. They can grow in the deep shade of the forest or in full, intense sun. In general, the more light and the better the soil, the larger the plant, the better it tastes and lives longer.

List of the most commonly encountered varieties |

This page is intended to be a guide for better identification of rhubarb varieties.
Alberger |
Origin : États-Unis
Year : 1946
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Canada Red |
Stalk color : Rouge moyen
Color of the pulpit : rouge et rouge-verte
Petiole hairiness : Lisse et légèrement rugeuse dans le haut
Number of ribs : 5
Origin : Canada
Year : 1960
Availability : Available in Canada
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Cawood delight |
Stalk color : Rouge foncée
Color of the pulpit : Rouge et verte
Origin : Angleterre
Availability : Available in Canada
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Champagne |
Stalk color : Rouge
Origin : Angleterre
Year : Début-Mi 1800
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Cherry Red |
Stalk color : Rouge cerise
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Cherry Wine |
Stalk color : Rouge vif
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Chicago Giant |
Year : AVT 1928
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Colorado Red |
Stalk color : Rouge
Color of the pulpit : Rouge
Origin : États-Unis
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Colossal |
Stalk color : Rouge
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Coulter |
Stalk color : Rouge foncé
Color of the pulpit : Rouge
Origin : Canada
Year : 1940
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Crimson Delicious |
Stalk color : Rouge et blanc verdâtre
Number of ribs : 5
Origin : États-Unis
Year : 1980
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Crimson Red |
Stalk color : Rouge vif
Number of ribs : 5
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Crimson Winter |
Stalk color : Rouge
Origin : États-Unis
Year : APR 1893
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Early Champagne |
Stalk color : Vert pâle
Color of the pulpit : Verte
Petiole hairiness : Rugeuse tout le long de la tige
Number of ribs : 5
Origin : Angleterre
Year : Avant 1860
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Emperor (Waite's) |
Stalk color : Verte
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Excelsior |
Year : AVT 1944
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Fulton's Strawberry Surprise |
Stalk color : Rouge et verte
Origin : Angleterre
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German Wine |
Stalk color : Rouge
Color of the pulpit : Rouge et verte dans le haut
Petiole hairiness : Lisse dans le bas et rugeuse dans le haut
Number of ribs : 7
Year : 1910
Availability : Available in Canada
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Giant Crimson Winter |
Stalk color : Rouge
Origin : États-Unis
Year : APR 1893
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Giant Grooveless Crimson |
Stalk color : Rouge
Origin : Angleterre
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Glaskin's Perpetual |
Stalk color : Rouge et légèrement verte dans le haut
Number of ribs : 7
Origin : Angleterre
Year : 1920
Availability : Available in Canada
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Goliath |
Stalk color : Rouge et verte parfois mouchetée
Color of the pulpit : Rouge et verte
Origin : Pays-Bas
Year : ENV 1980
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Grandad's Favorite |
Stalk color : Rouge
Origin : Angleterre
Year : 1950
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Hawkes’ Champagne |
Stalk color : Rouge vif
Origin : Angleterre
Year : 1850
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Holstein Red |
Stalk color : Rouge vif
Color of the pulpit : Rouge
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Holsteiner Blut |
Stalk color : Rouge vif dans le bas et verte dans le haut
Color of the pulpit : Verte
Petiole hairiness : Lisse au bas et rugeuse dans le haut
Number of ribs : 7
Origin : Allemagne
Year : 1918
Availability : Available in Canada
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Homestead |
Stalk color : Verte et rouge
Color of the pulpit : Verte
Petiole hairiness : Lisse
Number of ribs : 5
Origin : Canada
Availability : Available in Canada
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Honeyred |
Stalk color : Rouge
Origin : Canada
Year : 1971
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Jersey |
Origin : États-Unis
Year : 1954
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Leader |
Stalk color : Rouge foncée
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Linnaeus |
Stalk color : Rouge
Origin : Angleterre
Year : 1842
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Livingstone |
Stalk color : Rouge
Origin : Angleterre
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MacDonald |
Stalk color : Rose vif à rouge vif parfois un peu de vert
Number of ribs : 3
Origin : Canada
Year : 1920
Availability : Available in Canada
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Mammoth Green |
Stalk color : Verte
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Mammoth Red |
Stalk color : Rouge foncé
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Monarch |
Stalk color : Rouge
Origin : Écosse
Year : ENV 1894
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Oregon Red |
Stalk color : Rouge
Origin : États-Unis
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Panama |
Stalk color : Rouge
Origin : États-Unis
Year : ENV 1922
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Plum Hutt |
Stalk color : Rouge
Color of the pulpit : Rouge et légèrement verte
Origin : Ontario, Canada
Year : Avant 1980
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Polish Raspberry |
Stalk color : Rouge et verte dans le haut
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Poncho |
Stalk color : Rouge à brun rougeâtre
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Prince Albert - Anglaise |
Stalk color : Rouge
Number of ribs : 5
Origin : Angleterre
Year : 1840
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Prince Albert - Canadienne |
Stalk color : Rouge et verte
Color of the pulpit : Verte
Number of ribs : 5
Origin : Canada
Year : ENV 1980
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Raspberry Red |
Stalk color : Rouge
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Red champagne |
Stalk color : Rouge, rose
Number of ribs : 7
Origin : Angleterre
Year : 1850
Availability : Available in Canada
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Riverside Giant |
Stalk color : Verte
Origin : États-Unis
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Royal Ruby |
Stalk color : Rouge
Color of the pulpit : Rouge à rose foncé
Origin : Canada
Year : ENV 1934
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Ruby |
Stalk color : Rouge rubis
Color of the pulpit : Rouge
Origin : Canada
Year : 1927
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Ruby Red |
Stalk color : Rouge
Origin : Angleterre
Year : ENV 1850
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Russian Giant |
Stalk color : Rouge
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Simonette |
Stalk color : Rouge foncé
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St-Martins |
Origin : Angleterre
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Stockbridge Arrow |
Stalk color : Rouge
Origin : Angleterre
Year : 1960
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Strawberry Red |
Stalk color : Rouge foncé, rouge pâle, rouge-verdâtre
Color of the pulpit : Rouge et verte dans le haut
Petiole hairiness : Lisse et très rigeuseuse dans le haut
Number of ribs : 5
Origin : Québec
Year : 1920
Availability : Available in Canada
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Sunrise |
Stalk color : Rouge foncé
Origin : Canada
Year : 1946
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Sutton |
Stalk color : Rouge pâle, vert rouge
Color of the pulpit : Rouge pâle et vert dans le haut
Petiole hairiness : Rugeuse
Number of ribs : 5
Origin : Canada
Year : 1895
Availability : Available in Canada
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Sweet Sensation |
Stalk color : Rouge jusqu'à la pointe
Availability : Available in Canada
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Timperley Early |
Stalk color : Rouge au vert pomme
Origin : Angleterre
Year : 1945
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Tobolsk |
Stalk color : Rouge et verte
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Turkish |
Stalk color : Vert
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Valentine |
Stalk color : Rouge foncé et légèrement verte dans le haut
Color of the pulpit : Rouge foncé et légèrement verte dans le haut
Petiole hairiness : Lisse et rugeuse dans le haut
Number of ribs : 5
Origin : Canada
Year : 1938
Availability : Available in Canada
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Victoria |
Stalk color : Principalement rose en bas qui passe au vert en haut
Color of the pulpit : Rouge dans le bas et verte
Petiole hairiness : Lisse
Number of ribs : 5
Origin : Angleterre
Year : 1837
Availability : Available in Canada
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