Rhubarb Flowering: What To Do When Rhubarb Bolts and Goes To Seed
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Your rhubarb has bolting and started flowering – learn what causes this and what to do about it.
It’s very early spring and you walk out to your rhubarb patch for the first time since last Fall and gasp: Your rhubarb has already bolted.
Usually when edible plants go to seed it’s the end of those plants, at least for that season. But when it happens to rhubarb there are three things you should know:
#1 Don’t panic. #2 Don’t throw in the towel on your rhubarb. #3 Everything’s going to be just fine.
In fact, discovering rhubarb seed pods and rhubarb flower stalks is perfectly normal.
Why is My Rhubarb Bolting?
There are a few reasons why your rhubarb plants may be bolting: Seed pods and flower stalks usually don’t grow on younger rhubarb plants but they are common on more mature plants that are at least 3 years old. Our rhubarb plants have been tended by one home owner after the other for the past 100 years! And we get several flower stalks per rhubarb plant. Dividing the crowns of mature plants every few years resets the maturity clock so to speak and reduces flowering.
Another factor that influences the growth of flower stalks is the variety of rhubarb. Some are more likely to flower than others. Old-fashioned varieties such as Victoria and MacDonald continuously produce seed pods whereas other varieties like Canada Red and Valentine are less likely to bolt. These and other modern varieties are bred to flower less often.
Heat can also cause rhubarb to bolt. Rhubarb does best in cool weather and if you’re having a particularly warm Spring it can cause the rhubarb to bolt. Be sure to give your rhubarb plant adequate water.
Other stressors can also cause rhubarb to bolt, such as insect or animal damage to the leaves or a lack of nutrients.
Still, even when all proper care and precautions are taken, it’s very natural for rhubarb plants to bolt.
What To Do When Rhubarb Bolts
Rhubarb flowers are pretty and it’s almost a shame to cut them down. Do you have to? No, they won’t actually harm the plant. Nor will they affect the flavor of the rhubarb.
But they will greatly limit your harvest.
The simple reason is that it takes a plant a lot of energy to produce flowers and seeds and that is energy is being diverted from producing the actual edible stalks. A rhubarb plant that is allowed to go to seed won’t yield as large of a harvest as it otherwise would have.
Ideally you really want to avoid letting your rhubarb plant even get to the point where there are flower stalks.
Initially these long shoots start off as a seed pod at the base of the plant. As soon as you notice these seed pods remove them.
To remove them use a sharp knife at cut them as close to the base of the plant as possible.
If they’re not removed the seeds pods will grow into a long stalk and flower at the top, diverting even more energy away from the production of edible stalks. Remove these flower stalks by cutting them with a sharp, clean knife as close to the base of the plant as possible. Flower stalks are harder to remove than regular stalks are by twisting and pulling so you’ll most likely need to use a knife to cut them.
I’ve heard the flower stalks are edible but remove and discard the flowers and leaves.
Aren’t those pretty?
Rhubarb flowers last a long time. Try putting them in a vase for a more exotic flower arrangement.
With your seed pods and flower stalks removed your rhubarb plant can now focus its energy and producing a delicious and healthy yield of edible rhubarb stalks. Continue checking your plant frequently for new seeds pods and promptly remove them.
Happy harvest!
Ready to eat some rhubarb? Check out these yummy recipes!
Strawberry Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake
Oat and Buckwheat Waffles with Rhubarb Compote and Vanilla Cream
Article originally published on The Daring Gourmet April 1, 2016
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
Can you pull stalks until the fall as long as thick and long and leave a couple on the plant?
Is my rhubarb seed stalk supposed to be 7 foot tall?
Yes rhubarb flowers can be eaten. In my culture and many parts of the world rhubarb flowers are considered a seasonal delicacy. Careful Preparation (same caution as with preparing the rhubarb stems): All leaves and the flower husk must be removed. The leaves and the flower husk around the flower heads are still poisonous. Remove as much of the stem as you can A little will remain but not much. The remaining florets can be stir-fried, or steamed or roasted as you would cauliflower florets. The taste a little tart and goes well with seafood and fish.
Thank you for writing this interesting article. I have a rhubarb (not sure of variety) that I got from a nursery last year and planted in backyard. It is now flowering :)
Can you plant the rhubarb seeds when the plant has bolted?
Hi Marleen, yes but you have to leave the seed stalk on the plant through the summer until it is dried out. The seeds will be dried and brown – that’s the time to harvest the seeds.
A friend gave me a box of rhubarb tea (commercial packaging) and I LOVED it. My new favorite!
My question.. How do you make fresh rhubarb tea?
I have several plants.
Plants were coming up great but heavy frost and snow. Now leaves are turning a rust color and some stalks are soft. I have not seen any stalk discoloring. Is it ok to eat when it gets to 10 inches or so. Last year a hail storm knocked my plants to nothing. Made me ill not having my rhubarb. Thanks
My plant is over 100 yrs old i remove the seed stalks and still eat the rhubarb my wife and i argue whether to cut or pull to harvest. I have always pulled gently. the leaves once boiled make an excellent insect spray.
My father-in-law told me to give back the plant the leaves when you pull the rhubarb and it works extremely well both as compost and mulch to keep the rhubarb fed and the ground damp. I just chuck them back under the leaves as close as I can get to the stalks. No weeds either. My favourite dessert is strawberry jelly set over just cooked (boiled) rhubarb. Takes the worst of the sour out. Any red jelly works but make up with less water than what the packet says.
Thank you for those tips, Marianne, and the dessert sounds delicious too!
Hi Just wanted to let you know my rhubarb patch is over 150 yrs old. My great, great grandfather settled here in 1863 under the homesteaders act. I have no idea what kind it is but it grows beautifully and lots of it. My question of cutting the flowers or not has been answered.
Thank you
Karen
What a neat treasure to have in your garden, Karen!
Thank you I have never had this many flowers so I am glad you gave a very clear description I now know what to do to solve this problem thanks again
Hello. My question is that my rhubarb has stalks that just went to seed (bolt?)
I removed them. Now those stalks are like a cool straw. Is it edible still? Slice them into rings? Or can I use those straw like stalks as a straw? Drink 7-up through it to get a fresh rhubarb flavor…Thank you
Yes,you can eat the leaf stalks, the point is that the flower stalk diverts some of the nutrition value.
hi can you eat the stalks when the plant is flowering
I have the Canadian Red. It took many years to bolt. Last year I dug up the
Root. Under the hose I carefully split the root. It develops as individual
Segments that can be separated. I replanted 5 They all began in spring
As beautiful plants. I can imagine you could have as many plants as you would like this way. Only one has bolted so I will let it do it’s thing. Thanks for info and recipes