Red-ribbed Lider Rhubarb

Lider Rhubarb is a variety originating from Poland. It is much appreciated for its qualities: an early variety, it is also very productive and resistant. It is cultivated for its tender and fleshy stalks, 70% of which are red. They are used cooked in jam, compote or pie fillings. Sowing period in March-April for a first harvest two years later.

Originating from Asia and belonging to the family Polygonaceae, Garden Rhubarb has the Latin name Rheum rhaponticum. It is a hardy perennial vegetable plant introduced to Europe by Marco Polo. Originally used as a medicinal plant, its rhizome was used in Chinese medicine in ancient times, and it has only been consumed as a food since the 18th century.

Rhubarb is a vigorous plant. Once well established, it produces large leaves whose petioles (stalks) are generally green tinged with red. It is a stem vegetable that forms a large clump that can reach two metres wide and tall when in flower. Its flowering is not systematic and occurs in June, in the form of panicles of white flowers. It is rather ornamental but it takes away some energy from the leaves and tends to tire the plant. As such it is often recommended to remove the floral stems before their development.

In the garden, it thrives best in moist, fertile soil and a cool climate. You should plant it in rich soil, preferably in partial shade, ensuring that it has sufficient space for its development, at least 1 square metre (3 feet), or even 1.5.

The peak season for rhubarb production is in May-June, but it usually offers some stems in September-October too. In cooking, the petioles are consumed cooked in jam, compote, marmalade, or as pie filling. Its tangy flavour pairs well with strawberries - try this combination in a crumble, it's delicious!

Rhubarb has appetizing, astringent, and refreshing properties, and contains vitamins (B, C) and minerals (calcium, magnesium, iron). But be careful: its leaves, which are terribly rich in oxalic acids, are toxic.

Harvest: The stalks are harvested in May-June, with a second harvest in September-October.

Storage: Rhubarb stalks can be stored for a few days in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator, or for a few months, cut into pieces, in the freezer.

Gardener's tip: Rhubarb leaves are toxic, but you can safely add them to your compost and even use them to prepare a liquid fertiliser that will help repel aphids.