The future of rhubarb - with new variety families from Lubera Edibles
Once upon a time there was a plant that was also called the root of the barbarians because of its former use as a root medicinal plant: Rhubarb, Rheum rhabarbarum. And a rhubarb was a rhubarb, there were varieties but they seemed pretty interchangeable. How many rhubarb do you need in your assortment? One at the most!
The two new rhubarb families: Springbarber® and Everbarber®
Yet rhubarb, the roots of the barbarians, have a lot to offer since we learned to enjoy their stalks: Different tastes, growth types, stalk colours inside and out, plus new uses from kitchen gardens to perennial planting. We try to meet the new possibilities and demands of a modern rhubarb assortment by introducing two new rhubarb or Barber® families: The Springbarber® and the Everbarber®. All our young plants are also offered as in vitro produced young plants, which are much easier, more efficient and with much less failure to produce than the laboriously divided rhizomes that are almost impossible to pot.
Springbarber® - the first fruit/vegetable of spring
The Springbarber® is closest to the classic rhubarb, whose varieties almost all date back to the heyday of rhubarb between 1850 and 1950: yield in spring, in April to May or early June, use in the kitchen garden, classic use in seasonal cakes and dishes, the rest of the large harvest is frozen... But since there has been little breeding work on rhubarb in recent decades, Lubera breeding has succeeded in making significant improvements: the Springbarber® Redbarber® is by far the best red-red variety in the range. The medium-thick stems are not only red on the outside, but also 80% red on the inside, which then shows in the beautiful red colour of the juice and the rhubarb puree. Springbarber® Kickoff® produces the earliest and most concentrated yield of rhubarb stalks, ideal for the large household or for the self-supplier with processing capacity.
The Lubera Edidibles Springbarber® range
Rheum rhabarbarum Springbarber® 'Redbarber®' - the new and improved standard in the red-stalked rhubarb range
Advantages of Springbarber® Redbarber®
- Red-stalked rhubarb - inside & outside
- Mild taste
- Robust & healthy plants
Variety description
Everyone has been waiting for the Springbarber® Redbarber® rhubarb variety for a long time. Springbarber® Redbarber® is a red-stalked variety through and through. On the outside, the leaf stalks are deep red in colour and on the inside, the leaf stalks also have an intense red colour. The relatively compact growing plants have outstanding health and the leaves still have a high ornamental value even in late summer due to the dark red leaf stalks and the dark green foliage. But Springabarber® Redbarber® does not only cut a fine figure in the garden, because this variety is also convincing in the kitchen. The leaf stalks have a very fine and tender skin and can be processed without peeling. And then the true hour of Redbarber® strikes. Because even when processed, the intense red colouring remains. This makes it possible to prepare particularly colourful dishes.
Picture: The cooked rhubarb puree from Springbarber® Redbarber® shines in a powerful red colour
Short description of Springbarber® Redbarber
Growth: forms more compact plants than other red-fleshed varieties, quickly forms a broad plant with many stalks.
Ripening/harvesting: April - mid/late June, also grows over summer - but not vigorous enough to harvest
Stalks: medium long and medium thick - ideal for processing, dark red inside and outside, very tender skin - the stalks do not need to be peeled
Taste: extremely mild and delicate taste with fruity notes
Rheum rhabarbarum Springbarber® 'Kickoff®' - the earliest green rhubarb for forcing and yielding
Advantages of Springbarber® Kickoff
- Very early harvest
- High yield
- Strong growing
- Almost pure green
Variety description
The rhubarb Springbarber® Kickoff® sets new standards for green-stalked rhubarb. Springbarber® Kickoff® is currently the earliest variety from the Lubera breeding programme and is ideally suited for forcing or early planting. But even untreated in the home garden Kickoff® shows its strengths to the full. The first stalks can be harvested early in April and new leaf stalks grow steadily until the end of the harvest at the end of June, providing the hobby gardener with a variety of tasty stalks. The leaf stalks are uniform in length and thickness and have a light green colour, both outside and inside. Now on the outside at the base, the stalks shimmer in a light pink. Also in terms of taste, hardly any other variety comes close to Springbarber® Kickoff®. With its full-bodied aroma and notes of sour apple and citrus, Kockoff® is an enrichment for every kitchen.
Picture: Rhubarb Springbarber® Kickoff®
Short description of Springbarber® Kickoff®
Growth: very early rhubarb - the earliest in the assortment; strong and wide-spreading growth
Ripening/harvesting: very early, due to the early budding also well suited for forcing or early harvesting
Stalks: long and even, not too thick, leaf stalks; inside light green, outside slightly pink at the base, but turns pure green towards the leaf
Taste: aromatic, full-bodied, sour apple, slight citrus note, not too intense acidity
Everbarber® - harvest rhubarb all year round and a beautiful ornamental plant in the garden or in the tub all year round
Everbarber® further develops the rhubarb possibilities we first saw with the Livingstone variety: A whole family of varieties whose plants and stalks renew themselves all year round, which can also be harvested throughout the growing season. Everbarber® Pinkbarber® is red on the outside and partially red on the inside, which then produces a beautiful sweet pink colour as a puree or syrup, the sight of which almost makes you want to give up sugar. Everbarber® Cropstar® is a true production machine and shines with 80+ stalks. With this super productive variety it is also possible to harvest it completely in late spring; it regenerates in 2-3 weeks and then stands again in the garden as if nothing had happened. In the following months, a small part of the stalks can then be harvested regularly, depending on the needs of the kitchen, while the rhubarb perennial tirelessly renews itself from the inside out. Everbarber® Potstar® shows the same remontant properties, but has a slightly more compact bushy growth and is suitable for cultivation in pots or tubs.
Everbarber® are also suitable as ornamental perennials with a variety of facultative uses - as hostas with utility value! With the different leaf textures, stalk colours and growth heights, there are also new possibilities of mixed container plantings and perennial combinations.
The Lubera Edibles Everbarber® range
Rheum rhabarbarum Everbarber® 'Cropstar®' - is the new highlight among the rhubarb varieties - everbearing and yielding
Advantages of Everbarber® 'Cropstar
- Everbearing rhubarb
- High yielding
- strong growing
Variety description
Everbarber® Cropstar® is the highlight of Lubera's rhubarb breeding. This variety combines many characteristics and is currently the best variety in the field of the everbearing rhubarb. With a stalk count of over 80 stalks per plant, an average stalk length of 60 cm and a diameter of 2.5 cm, Everbarber® Cropstar® is one of the highest-yielding varieties of all and the highest-yielding variety in our range. In addition to these exceptionally high yield figures, Cropstar® is also a everbearing rhubarb variety. Everbarber® Cropstar® forms new leaf stalks throughout the summer that can be harvested without any problems. A test has shown that when the plants are harvested heavily in summer (2/3 of all leaf stalks in mid-August), they regenerate in a very short time (at the end of September there was no difference between harvested and non-harvested plants).
Picture: Everbarber® Cropstar®
Short description of Everbarber® Cropstar®
Growth: strong growing variety with a very good growth over summer - always produces new shoots
Ripening/harvesting: main harvest in spring - April to end of June; can be harvested in reduced form all summer to end of August
Stalks: long but not too thick stalks, forms extremely many stalks in spring - 80 and more; outside: cherry-red, turning slightly greenish towards the top; inside: green with a hint of pink
Taste: pleasant acidity, fruity-fresh aroma with vegetable notes
Rheum rhabarbarum Everbarber® 'Pinkbarber®' - the first everbearing rhubarb with red stalks
Advantages of Everbarber® 'Pinkbarber
- First red remontant rhubarb variety
- Red coloured stalks
- Strong growing and high yielding
Variety description
Everbarber® Pinkbarber® is the rhubarb variety that comes closest to the ideal rhubarb: excellent remontage characteristics, numerous and thick leaf stalks with an intense red colour. Now this (almost) all applies to Everbarber® Pinkbarber®. The only difference is that the inner colouring of the leaf stalks is not as intense as in Redbarber®, which is why a pinkish puree rather than a bright red one is produced during processing. However, Everbarber® Pinkbarber® makes up for this with its yield and general foliage health. This means that you can harvest delicious rhubarb stalks throughout the entire growing season. Pinkbarber® tastes like a typical rhubarb with an intensive rhubarb aroma and an intense but not unpleasant acidity.
Picture: when cooked, Everbarber® Pinkbarber® has a beautiful pink-red colour
Short description of Everbarber® Pinkbarber®
Growth: strong growing variety with an upright growth and very good remontage characteristics
Ripening/harvesting: main harvest in spring - April to end of June; can be harvested in reduced form all summer to end of August
Stalks: long and medium-strong leaf stalks; intensely dark red on the outside, about half of the inside is coloured through with red
Taste: intense typical rhubarb flavour at the beginning; good acidity - especially in the finish
Rheum rhabarbarum Everbarber® 'Potstar®' - the high-yielding rhubarb for growing in tubs
Advantages of Everbarber® Potstar
- Semi-compact growth
- Well suited for cultivation in tubs
- Visually appealing plant
- Everbearing rhubarb
Variety description
Everbarber® Potstar® completes the Everbarber® assortment - the range of everbearing rhubarb varieties. Everbarber® Potstar® is characterised by a semi-compact growth habit and is still extraordinarily productive with up to 70 leaf stems per plant. As with all Everbarber® varieties, the main harvest of Everbarber® Potstar® is in spring - the harvest of Potstar® is comparatively early - but due to a well-developed remontage property, fresh leaf stalks can be harvested throughout the summer. This means that the fruity-fresh taste of Everbarber® Potstar® can be enjoyed all year round. Potstar® also has a very attractive appearance, especially in containers. There is a good and striking contrast between the dark red leaf stalks and the fresh green foliage.
Picture: Everbarber® Potstar® with the decorative leaf stalks
Short description of Everbarber® Potstar®
Growth: semi-compact everbearing, due to its reduced growth well suited for cultivation in containers
Ripening/harvesting: shoots early; main harvest in spring - until the end of June; can also be harvested in summer due to good vigour
Stalks: very productive variety with up to 70 stalks per plant, uniformly thinner leaf stalks; intense cherry red outside, sometimes a hint of pink inside
Taste: pleasant acidity, fruity-fresh taste, discreet rhubarb aroma
