Varieties

Rhubarb Coulter

John Hutchieson Coulter's family ran a market garden in North Kildonan where John developed new seed varieties as well as a variety of rhubarb which was registered under the name 'Coulter'. Their products have won several awards at the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto.

Coulter comes from a Macdonald seedling selected for three exceptional characteristics: weight and stem length are similar to those of its parent; (b) stem color is dark red instead of bright red like the parent; the flesh is colored bright red from the stem end to the leaf when the stem is 9 inches or more in length. Apparently before reaching this length, the stem has no color.

Stalk color : Dark red
Color of the pulpit : Red

Origin : Canada
Year : 1940
Developed by : Created by John Hutchieson Coulter, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Quotes about Coulter

Coulter: Originated with John H. Coulter, R.R. 5, Winnipeg, Man. Roots of it are to be made available on the market in 1940. A seedling of Macdonald and selected because of three outstanding features: (a) the weight and length of stalk similar to its parent; (b) the color of stalk is dark red instead of bright red like the parent; (c) the flesh is colored a bright red from the butt end of the stalk to the leaf when the stalk is 9 inches or more long. Before attaining that length the stalk has no color. This is said by a number of people who have seen it to be a very promising new variety.
Source : Rhubarb in Alberta, J.S. Shoemaker, 2024

John Hutchieson Coulter (1889-1941) - Market gardener, community activist. Born at Renfrewshire, Scotland in 1889, he came to Manitoba in 1904. He returned to Scotland in 1913 and brought wife Eliza Scott Swain (1888-1976) back with him. They had three children: William Hutchison Coulter (1914-1973), Mary Ann Balfour “Maizie” Coulter (1916-2003, wife of Harold H. Raine), and James Swain Coulter (1920-2007). The Coulters operated a market garden in North Kildonan where they developed new varieties of seed as well as a rhubarb variety that was registered under the name of “Coulter.” Their produce won several prizes at the Toronto Royal Winter Fair. He served on the council of the Rural Municipality of North Kildonan from its inception in 1926 until 1941, was a founding member of the Carter Avenue Presbyterian Church (later Grey Street United Church), and was an avid supporter and organizer of youth hockey, building a rink on his farm for community use. He died at the St. Boniface Hospital on 30 August 1941 and was buried in the Elmwood Cemetery.
Source : Memorable Manitobans: John Hutchieson Coulter (1889-1941), The Manitoba Historical Society,

Return to the list of varieties