Garden And Gardener

Everything for the Gardener and their Garden

Rhubarb Flower

by Diane - May 1st, 2012.
Filed under: allotment.

rhubarb flower
rhubarb flower

A rhubarb flower usually indicates the rhubarb isn’t happy about something. I think mine has a black currant bush too close to it so I will be moving that in the autumn.

The rhubarb flower is good at hiding – but it’s a thick stem that doesn’t develop a full leaf of its own. It make have small leaves coming off it. The plant puts a lot of energy into making seeds so it’s best to cut it out as soon as you see it.
It’s worth checking your rhubarb even if you don’t want any to pick every week or so just to make sure it’s not being naughty!

This is the flower in the kitchen. I took it in to undo the leaf around the flower so you could see it better. It’s probably quite pretty if you let it flower properly but I would be worried about how much energy it would take from the plant. I have thrown it on my compost heap.
I also picked enough rhubarb for a pudding after tea tonight!