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Herbaceous Perennial

Rheum palmatum 'Red Herald'

rhubarb 'Red Herald'

A large rhizomatous perennial to 2.5m high, with basal leaves up to 90cm across that emerge from the ground in late spring. Leaves are broad, lobed and coarsely toothed, deep red when young, and mature to deep green with dark red undersides and long, thick reddish stems. In summer, tall, branching flower stems bear upright clusters of tiny, densely packed red flowers

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Ultimate height

1.5–2.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

1.5–2.5 metres

Clay

Loam

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

East–facing or South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Polygonaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Clump forming
Potentially harmful: Harmful if eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling Pets: Harmful if eaten - for further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Genus: Rheum are robust rhizomatous herbaceous perennials with large, simple or palmately lobed leaves and tall leafy stems bearing large panicles of tiny flowers
Name status: Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in deep, moist, fertile soil, ideally in a sunny position. Mulch with organic matter in early spring. Needs plenty of space

Propagation

Propagate by division in early spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Architectural
Cottage and informal garden
Wildlife gardens
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Deadhead spent flower spikes, cut back faded leaves at the end of the season

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs and blackfly (black aphid)

Diseases

May be susceptible to crown rot, honey fungus and virus diseases

Get involved

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