VegetableChard
Rhubarb Chard
Rhubarb Chard
Rhubarb Chard is a red-ribbed Swiss chard cultivar that delivers both stunning garden presence and reliable harvests. The plants reach 18 inches tall with vibrant crimson stalks and brilliant green leaves that can span 12 inches across, making it as much an ornamental statement as a productive food source. Ready to harvest in 60 days, this vigorous cultivar produces enough leaves for a summer sauté from just a few plants, thriving in full sun with 18-inch spacing between plants.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
3-10
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam
Preferred Temp50-75°F
Growth Stats
18 in
Height
8 in
Width
18 in
Spacing
60–60
Days to Harvest
PeriodBiennial
TypeBush
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
3-10
Size
18in H x 8in W
Growth
Biennial
Care
Moderate
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Highlights
The brightest red stalks you'll see in any vegetable garden pair with deep green foliage to create a plant that looks as good in an ornamental border as it does in a salad. These plants are vigorous and densely leafy, meaning you get serious productivity from a compact footprint. The leaves grow large enough to be substantial, yet tender enough for quick cooking, and the thinnings from young plants are themselves braised delicacies.
Common Uses
Rhubarb Chard shines in summer sautés where the tender leaves and crisp stalks cook down into something deeply satisfying. The young thinned greens are delicate enough to braise gently with a bit of butter or garlic, while mature leaves and stalks hold their structure well in warm vegetable dishes. Its striking appearance makes it equally at home on the plate as it is in the garden.
Growing Timeline
First Bloom
Does Not Bloom In Typical Vegetable Cultivation
First Harvest
6-8 Weeks From Planting
Last Harvest
Late Fall
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start seeds indoors 3 weeks before your intended transplant date. Provide warmth and keep soil consistently moist until seedlings emerge. Transplant outdoors when large enough to handle.
Transplant Outdoors
Transplant seedlings outdoors after the last frost, spacing them 18 inches apart in rows set 18 inches apart. Harden off seedlings gradually before moving them to their final garden location.
Direct Sow
Direct sow seeds beginning 2 to 3 weeks before your last frost date. Space seeds or thin seedlings to 18 inches apart in rows 18 inches apart.
Harvesting
Begin harvesting leaves once plants are well established, around 60 days from sowing. You can pick individual outer leaves as they reach full size, or harvest several leaves at once for a meal. The leaves are most tender and flavorful when young, though mature leaves remain productive and delicious. Harvesting consistently encourages the plant to produce more foliage throughout the growing season.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Beta vulgaris L. ssp. cicla (L.) W.D.J. Koch
Family
Amaranthaceae
Genus
Beta
Duration
Biennial
Native Status
L48 (I)PR (I)