Young Victoria rhubarb seedling in the garden

You could consider Victoria rhubarb to be the queen of rhubarb: easy to grow, early to emerge in the spring, bright color, a fresh, tart flavor—and no stringiness. If that’s not enough, this long-loved rhubarb plant was introduced in England in 1837 in honor of Queen Victoria. This variety features medium-sized stalks: some begin as red at the base and lighten to green as they grow to the top. Other strains of Victoria rhubarb may produce mostly green stalks, but that doesn’t make them any less delicious. The coloring of the stalks is influenced by rainfall and soil composition. And depending on your soil, the stalks will have flavor tones of apple, gooseberry, lemon, or even grapefruit.

Sun Exposure

• full sun

Soil pH

• 6.0 to 6.8

Hardiness Zones

• zones 3 to 8

Spacing

• 3 to 4 feet

Moisture

• water thoroughly for a depth of several inches
• allow soil surface to dry to a depth of 2 inches between watering

Notes

• cold-hardy
• needs at least 500 chill hours to form new buds
• prefers well-drained soil
• harvest in second or third year after planting
• fertilize with nitrogen in spring; phosphorus in fall
• leaves are poisonous; eat only the stalks

Have you ever grown Victoria rhubarb? Please tell us about your experiences with Victoria rhubarb.