PlantFiles: Noble Rhubarb, Sikkim Rhubarb
Rheum nobile

Guides and Information

Sponsored Links

Welcome!

You've found the famous Dave's Garden website! Join this friendly global community that shares tips and ideas for home and gardens, along with seeds and plants!

Check out the DG homepage for a brief overview of what you'll find in this gardening mega-site.

Login

If you don't have an account yet, visit the registration page to sign up.

Username:

Password:

Family: Polygonaceae
Genus: Rheum (REE-um) (Info)
Species: nobile (no-BIL-ee) (Info)

Category:
Perennials

Height:
36-48 in. (90-120 cm)
4-6 ft. (1.2-1.8 m)

Spacing:
36-48 in. (90-120 cm)

Hardiness:
USDA Zone 7a: to -17.7 °C (0 °F)
USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9 °C (5 °F)
USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 °C (10 °F)
USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 °C (15 °F)
USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6 °C (20 °F)
USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 °C (25 °F)

Sun Exposure:
Full Sun
Sun to Partial Shade

Danger:
Parts of plant are poisonous if ingested

Bloom Color:
Cream/Tan

Bloom Time:
Mid Summer

Foliage:
Grown for foliage
Herbaceous

Other details:
Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater

Soil pH requirements:
5.6 to 6.0 (acidic)
6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)

Patent Information:
Non-patented

Propagation Methods:
By dividing rhizomes, tubers, corms or bulbs (including offsets)

Seed Collecting:
Allow seedheads to dry on plants; remove and collect seeds

Profile:

1 positive
1 neutral
No negatives

Gardeners' Notes:

Rating	Author	Comment
Positive	jrtinker	On Sep 27, 2009, jrtinker from Wasilla, AK wrote: The Alaska Rock Garden Society collected a small amount of seed from Big Snow Mountain in Yunnan in 2000. Of this seed, one plant germinated and continues to grow. This summer (2009) the garden where it has been growing was sold, and the plant was transplanted to a new location in August. It appears to have survived the move, but we won't really know if it is happy in the new location until it has survived a winter there.
Neutral	Dacooolest	On Jul 1, 2006, Dacooolest from Brandon, MB (Zone 2b) wrote: The noble rhubarb (Or as it is called in the Himalayas, chuka) is a giant perennial grown as a vegetable. AN interesting note about this plant, the translucent bracts that go over the flowers let visible light through, but not UV radiation. This creates a greenhouse effect that protects the flowers from intense cold! It also prevents UV radiation from hurting the flowers.

Regional...

This plant has been said to grow in the following regions:

Wasilla, Alaska

Your actions

» Post a comment about this plant

» Upload an image of this plant

» View a printer-friendly data sheet for this plant

« Return to the PlantFiles homepage

Overwhelmed? There's a lot to see here. Try starting at our homepage.