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!

Rhubarb Crisp

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

Rhubarb Streusel Cake

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