VICTORIA rhubarb
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Origin & History
- Victoria is a very old variety, first introduced in 1837 by Joseph Myatt at Manor Farm, Deptford, England.
- It owes its name to Queen Victoria.
- It is one of the heirloom varieties still grown today, prized for its reliability and longevity.
Characteristics
Here are its typical features:
- Stems/petiole
- Generally green towards the top, with a reddish tinge (pink or red verging on red) at the base.
- The color fades to green towards the top of the petiole.
- Size
- The stalks can be quite long and thick. Some sources mention stalks reaching 30-60 cm or more.
- The stalks can be quite long and thick. Some sources mention stalks reaching 30-60 cm or more.
- Taste
- Typical tart flavor of rhubarb, but quite sweet when ripe. It is juicy.
- Typical tart flavor of rhubarb, but quite sweet when ripe. It is juicy.
- Hardiness/growing zone
- Very hardy: tolerates cold winters (zone 3 according to Canadian sources).
- Very hardy: tolerates cold winters (zone 3 according to Canadian sources).
- Harvest period
- This is a mid-season spring variety. It produces stalks from May through summer.
- This is a mid-season spring variety. It produces stalks from May through summer.
- Use
- Very good for cooking: pies, jams, compotes, desserts. Also used for forcing (growing plants indoors or under cover) to obtain earlier or off-season stalks.
Strengths
- Very reliable, proven variety that lasts a long time.
- Good productivity, especially if the soil is rich and well maintained.
- Pleasant taste, texture not too stringy if well cultivated.
- Good adaptability to cold climates, which is an advantage in regions such as Quebec.
Limitations/things to watch out for
- It tends to produce flower stalks/seed stalks quite frequently. If these flowers appear, they must be removed quickly, otherwise they can weaken the plant as they draw on its reserves.
- Due to its early growth in spring and the fact that it can be forced, growing conditions (temperature, light, soil) must be carefully managed to obtain good quality.
- According to some sources, the upper stems (near the leaves) may be less colorful or less red, especially if exposure or light is not optimal.