Canada Red Rhubarb
What: Rheum ‘Canada Red’ is a superior rhubarb variety featuring long, thick dark red leaf stems with a sweet, juicy flavor and tender texture without the stringiness common in other varieties. Only the stems are edible (other plant parts are poisonous), and they can be harvested throughout summer.
Best use: Canada Red Rhubarb works beautifully in both edible and ornamental gardens, making it as suitable for landscape or flower gardens as it is for vegetable patches. Its striking red stems and large foliage add dramatic visual interest while providing delicious harvests for pies, jams, and other culinary uses.
Plant Details
| Height | 24 inches (up to 4 feet when flowering) |
| Spread | 3 feet |
| Hardiness Zone | 2 |
| Sunlight | Full sun to partial shade |
| Watering | Average to wet conditions; tolerates some standing water; may need supplemental watering during drought |
| Growth Rate | Fast |
| Maintenance | Low; dies back to crown each winter and regrows in spring; avoid disturbing crown in late winter |
| Uses | Edible garden, landscape feature, flower garden |
| Lifespan | Approximately 10 years under ideal conditions |
| Special Notes | Highly tolerant of urban pollution; not particular about soil type or pH; is an interspecific hybrid |
