Spring is well underway, and you know what that means … rhubarb! I love rhubarb and for good reason. Rhubarb has a deep history, stretching back much further in time than the expansive rhubarb plot of my childhood. The stalks were used for medicinal purposes by the Chinese for thousands of years and was highly regarded for its ability to safeguard our intestines, supplying the body with fibre, calcium and vitamin K, as well as antioxidants to help protect against cell damage and inflammation. Marco Polo made mention of rhubarb in his notes, and he was no slouch rumour has it; he played a significant role in opening trade between Asia and Europe and the understanding of other cultures. In his will, he left much of his wealth to his wife and daughters which at that time was not a usual choice to make. Marco Polo, born in Venus, was not the first to travel to China but was the first to write of his experiences on the journey, which helped significantly in opening the world for others. He travelled the Silk Road between 1271 and 1295, transporting rhubarb crowns along those ancient trade routes, from China through Russia and on to Europe in the 13th century. The well-respected plant, held in high regard for its cure-all qualities, was at one time more expensive than cinnamon or saffron. From Europe, rhubarb was brought to northern Canada by the Hudson Bay Company when it set up its first forts in the 1700s. Indigenous people moved the rhubarb from the forts to outposts across what is now Canada and due to its hardy nature, rhubarb flourished despite the severe winters. Benjamin Franklin is said to have brought rhubarb to America in 1800, but another source said it was his gardener, which seems more likely. There was a time when every garden had a rhubarb patch and rhubarb was a staple in spring diets. I well remember spending hours sitting in our farm’s expansive rhubarb garden with a dish of sugar, pulling the sweet tender stalks and trying not to make a face at the glorious tart flavour.
We had fun with rhubarb leaves as kids, creating all manner of designs. The heart-shaped leaf can be as large as a foot across and the stalk, the petiole supporting the leaf, can be as thick as two inches and often became a weapon for someone that dwelled in my childhood home, not mentioning any names (my brother). I have rhubarb in my garden now, a pitiful patch in comparison to the rhubarb I grew up with. Rhubarb prefers at least six hours of direct sunlight and in my heavily treed yard, it is difficult to guarantee the sunshine will find my rhubarb for that length of time; but I am ever hopeful. Rhubarb needs well-drained soil and doesn’t like being water-logged. Well-composted manure makes rhubarb plants very happy as they like nitrogen-rich soil. When flower stalks appear, they should be removed so the plant can focus on stem production and not waste energy feeding its flowers. The experts say to divide plants every four to five years, but I don’t recall anyone ever moving our rhubarb plants around and the patch became massive all on its own. Rhubarb likes slightly acidic soil which can be helped along with coffee grounds, some gardeners say. Does that mean we coffee-drinking humans can attribute our acidic dispositions to coffee?
Rhubarb is not a fruit and provides those who love to argue about such things further ammunition and it allows me to claim I eat more vegetables. Rhubarb, so claim those who consider themselves experts, can help with thinning hair, due to its high content of vitamin K. It’s certainly worth a try. I must sign off now as I have rhubarb slush to make and rhubarb punch and rhubarb pie and … Me thinks I will need to raid a neighbour’s garden to find enough supply for all my plans. Now where did I put my cat-burglar suit.
wendistewart@live.ca
