Variété

Rhubarbe Colossal

Cultivar créée par M. Charles Downing, à Newburg. Nommé Downing's Colossal à cause de sa grande taille. Son degré d'acidité moindre, saveur fine, riche et aromatique, dans laquelle il surpassait de beaucoup tous ses prédécesseurs.

Malheureusement celle-ci fut à son tour été surpassé la « Liuneas » de M. Myatt, dont l'excellence dans toutes les caractéristiques importantes l'a placé depuis quatre ou cinq ans au rang bien avant toute autre variété — M. Downing lui-même, le préférant de beaucoup au Colossal, qui est son concurrent le plus proche, et avec lequel il présente une forte ressemblance. En plus d'être le plus précoce de tous et le plus productif, ainsi que le plus savoureux et le moins acide, il a une peau si fine qu'il est tout à fait inutile de l'enlever, et sa pulpe, une fois cuite, a la consistance uniforme du Rhode Island Greening cuit, et il reste tout aussi croustillant et tendre tout au long de l'été et au début de l'automne.

Couleur pétiole : Rouge
Développer par : Charles Downing

Citations portant sur la Rhubarbe Colossal

Dear Sir : For a few years past, I have planted several varieties of rhubarb in my garden, and among others Myatt's Victoria and the Colossal. After a thorough trial in my soil, I find Downing's Colossal is decidedly superior to any other have yet tried, both as to size and flavor. I think the public generally are not aware of its value. It was originatcd in Newburgh, N. Y., some ten years since, by Chas. Downing, Esq. Respectfully, Henry Little. Bangor, Maine, april 3, 1849. [We believe every one who has tried this rhubarb will agree with Col. Little, that no variety yet originated will compare in size, or quality, with the Colossal. Its stalks are remarkably tender and succulent.
Source : The Horticulturist and journal of rural art and rural taste -1849, A.J. Downing, 1849

The next great improvement was in a variety originated by Mr. Charles Downing, at Newburg. It was named Downing's Colossal ; and in addition to its great size, and much less degree of acidity, it had a fine, rich, aromatic flavor, in which it greatly surpassed all predecessors. This, too, has been surpassed by Mr. Myatt, in the " Liuneas," whose excellence in every important characteristic has placed it for the last four or five years in rank far before any other variety — Mr. Downing himself, greatly preferring it to the Colossal, which is its nearest competitor, and to which it has a strong resemblance. Besides being the earliest of all, and most productive, as well as finest flavored, and least acid, it has a skin so thin that removing it is quite unnecessary, and its pulp when stewed has the uniform consistence of baked Rhode Island Greening, and it continues equally crisp and tender throughout summer and early autumn.
Source : The Horticulturist and journal of rural art and rural taste -1858, A.J. Downing, 1858

Downing's Colossal, Cahoon's, Myatt's Victoria, and Linnaeus are the varieties generally cultivated here. The first Downing's is a very pale-stalked variety, gives a syrup of the same light color ; when cooked, is deficient in richness ; and where the fine qualities of a rhubarb are recognized, would not be cultivated a single day.
Source : The Gardener's monthly and horticultural advertiser, Vol3 No1, 1861, John Saul, Washington City, D. C., 1861

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