Rhubarb Varieties Explained: Which Type Is Best for You?
Not all rhubarb is created equal! With dozens of varieties—each offering its own charm in color, flavor, vigor, and harvest season—choosing the right rhubarb can make all the difference in your garden and kitchen. Here’s what you need to know to pick your ideal rhubarb variety.
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What Makes Rhubarb Varieties Different?
- Color: Stalks can be bright red, deep pink, green, or a mix. Red varieties are often chosen for looks, green for yield and flavor.
- Flavor: Some are more tangy, others sweeter—perfect for baking, sauces, or even raw snacks.
- Vigor & reliability: Certain types thrive in cool climates or poor soil, others are bred for early harvest or “forcing.”
- Harvest season: Some varieties “force” (produce edible stems) very early with covers; others give a long harvest into summer.
- Traditional vs. modern: Heritage types may offer unusual flavors or shapes; modern hybrids are bred for color, disease resistance, and yield.
Top Rhubarb Varieties for UK, US, and Cool-Climate Gardens
1. Timperley Early
- Early red-pink stems—fabulous for forcing and very early outdoor harvest.
2. Victoria
- The classic garden rhubarb—large, greenish-red stalks, reliable, heavy cropping well into summer.
3. Champagne
- Elegant, slender, pink-red stalks—beautiful and tangy, tender for dessert.
4. Stockbridge Arrow
- Long, arrow-shaped green stalks, heavy-yielding, late harvests.
5. Grandad’s Favourite
- Heritage style, rich flavor, sturdy stalks.
6. Fulton’s Strawberry Surprise
- RHS award-winner, striking red stalks with good sweetness, great for pies/jam.
7. Redstick
- Deep, consistent color even when cooked; popular in US gardens.
8. Glaskins Perpetual
- Long-harvest variety, especially good for continuous picking and for beginners.
9. Canada Red / Crimson Cherry
- Deep red stems, mild flavor—tends to be sweeter than many.
10. French Touch / Frambozen Rood
- Rich, raspberry-tinted stalks, midseason mainstay.
How to Choose the Best Variety for You
- For looks: Go bold red (‘Timperley Early’, ‘Fulton’s Strawberry Surprise’, ‘Canada Red’).
- For pies and jam: Choose sweeter types (often redder), or ‘Champagne’; combine with sugar as needed.
- For heavy yields: ‘Victoria’, ‘Stockbridge Arrow’, or ‘Glaskins Perpetual’.
- For earliest picking or forcing: ‘Timperley Early’, ‘Champagne’.
- For container growing: Choose compact, modern hybrids and harvest regularly to keep them tidy.
- For pest/disease resistance: Newer hybrids and varieties bred for your local climate generally fare best.
Red vs. Green Rhubarb: Is There a Difference?
- Red types look spectacular, often milder (but sometimes “woodier” late in the season).
- Green-stalked varieties often yield the most, are tangier, and stay tender longer in summer heat.
Wrapping Up
There’s a perfect rhubarb for every taste, use, and garden. Want the first spring stalks for pie or easy-forcing? Choose an early red. Want steady snacks and giant crops? ‘Victoria’ or ‘Stockbridge Arrow’ are classics. With the right variety, you’ll be proud of your rhubarb patch—and your dessert table—every season.