Rhubarb 'Red Champagne' - 5 pieces

CHF 25.65

Rhubarb 'Red Champagne' - 5 pieces

Name: Rhubarb 'Red Champagne' - 5 pieces
Brand: Rheum
Price: 25.65 CHF
Availability: OutOfStock

Rheum × hybridum 'Red Champagne'

CHF 25.65

Bright red, tender stalks
Lovely colour for compote and syrup
About 90–110 cm tall
Harvest from April to the end of June
For sun and partial shade

'Red Champagne' is a rhubarb with bright red, tender stalks. They give desserts, compote and syrup a lovely colour. The vigorous plant grows in sun and partial shade and stays in the same spot for many years. Five crowns are enough for generous harvests.

About this variety

The stalks of 'Red Champagne' are a strong red and fairly tender, and they keep their lovely colour when cooked. Above them spread large, wavy leaves that give the plant a lush appearance. In early summer it may form creamy white flower panicles, which you should remove early.

Rhubarb thrives in sun and partial shade if the soil is deep and rich. At about 90–110 cm tall and up to 150 cm wide, 'Red Champagne' needs room. A spot at the edge of the vegetable garden or in a cottage garden is ideal. Redcurrants, lovage and nasturtiums go well with it.

Harvest the stalks by twisting them off, not cutting, so the plant stays healthy. Give it a rest in the first year. From the second year, harvest until the end of June; after that the plant recovers for the next season. A clump stays productive for many years. For an earlier harvest, cover the plant in February with a forcing pot or an upturned bucket; the stalks then grow faster and become particularly tender.

Planting

Plant 'Red Champagne' in autumn in September and October, or in spring in March and April. Dig a hole twice the size of the crown and mix in plenty of compost. Set the buds 2–3 cm deep and space plants 100–150 cm apart. Water in well.

Care

Water generously in dry spells. Give compost in spring and after the harvest. Harvest only until the end of June and never take more than half the stalks. Break off flower stems as soon as they appear. The leaves contain a lot of oxalic acid and are not edible.

Specifications

Botanical name: Rheum × hybridum 'Red Champagne'
Genus: Fruit and vegetables
Class: Various
Supplied as: Bare roots
Flower colour: Cream
Flowering time: May, June
Flowering season: Late spring, Early summer
Height: 100 cm
Spread: 150 cm
Habit: Bushy
Position: Sun, Partial shade
Suitable for: Cottage garden, Bed
Soil type: Chalky, Clay, Loamy, Sandy
Drainage: Well-drained
Soil moisture: Moist
Soil pH: Neutral
Soil note: Suitable for many Swiss garden soils. A loose structure and good drainage matter more than a particular soil type.
Planting time: March, April, September, October
Planting depth: Cover the buds with 2–3 cm of soil
Spacing: 100–150 cm
Number per m²: 1
Hardiness in Switzerland: Hardy in Switzerland
Overwintering note: Generally hardy in garden soil in Switzerland. At high, windy sites and in containers, plan extra winter protection and avoid winter wet.
For containers: Only partly suitable for containers
Container note: Only recommended in a sufficiently large, stable, well-drained container.
Cut flower: Not suitable as a cut flower
Naturalising: Not suitable
Naturalising note: Persists for several years in a suitable spot, but does not normally spread over larger areas on its own.
For bees and butterflies: Not attractive to pollinators
Edible: Edible
Toxicity: The leaves contain a lot of oxalic acid and are not edible. Use only the cooked stalks and keep the leaves away from children and pets.
RHS hardiness: H5