Rheum nobile/alexandrae

[Lesley Cox]

Looking good so far Philippe. When I've had seedlings of R. alexandrae they have always been totally green and flat-leaved, right from the start so yours with its colouring does suggest it will be nobile. Let's hope for that.

[Philippe]

Hi Lesley

Yes, the bigger plant in the bed might be Rheum nobile ( and now that one of both has suddenly gone, it only conforts me in the fact that it might be indeed the more tricky R.nobile )
When talking about R.alexandrae, I meant the young seedlings I still have in pots in the propagation area. They're still way too small to decide 100% whether nobile/alexandrae or not, even if by now, I rather suspect they could actually  be nobile. Let's see in several weeks!

[Philippe]

Another good summer season it seems for the surviving nobile who looks very healthy by now.
I find it a bit leafy/leggy but anyway, it still lives!

Pot cultivation has been fatal to one of the young seedlings. Pricked out in June, everything seemed ok, 2 new small leaves, and within one week recently, game over.
Another had been planted directly in the Himalaya bed in June, and it resisted so far.

2 further seedlings from last year were pricked out today, but this time directly in the pure sand bed, where any water excess will freely find its way down.

Another 2016 sowing pot with 3 other very young seedlings in waiting for prick out, and then that will be all for R.nobile for the moment, as the seed stock has been totally used now!

[Philippe]

(Attachment Link)


2 further seedlings from last year were pricked out today, but this time directly in the pure sand bed, where any water excess will freely find its way down.

Another 2016 sowing pot with 3 other very young seedlings in waiting for prick out, and then that will be all for R.nobile for the moment, as the seed stock has been totally used now!

Well done, I think I have again killed further young R.nobile seedling this summer. DOn't know why it won't work this year.
The ones that were pricked out directly  in the sandbed during late July have also gone now.
They did reasonnably well meanwhile, even letting a new small leaf emerge, but for each one, on a week interval or so, that young leaf became very soft, and that was it for the whole plant. No watering problem, no sun scorch. What then...

The 3 last remaining ones will stay in the sowing pot now. They'll have to bring it through next winter then ;/ And I even wonder if they won't be planted together at the same place in the rockbed next spring, if they're still alive of course, without any pricking out operation before.

[Philippe]

Last update on Rheum nobile.
Very recently photographed with a wide angle lens, as its size makes it now possible to spot it effortless in its environment



The young seedling planted in the bed in June made it through the first summer. He is rather fine right now I would say.

[Gabriela]

It looks like a very happy rhubarb Philippe. I hope you'll find it in good health next spring coming!

The background of your picture resembles very much with an impressionist painting.

[Philippe]

It looks like a very happy rhubarb Philippe. I hope you'll find it in good health next spring coming!

The background of your picture resembles very much with an impressionist painting.

That shrub in the background  is a delight, particularly when it's turning red in autumn.
Not the right thread to post a picture of it, but I love it so much   :

[Leucogenes]

That shrub in the background  is a delight, particularly when it's turning red in autumn.
Not the right thread to post a picture of it, but I love it so much   :

(Attachment Link)

Really  an eye candy, your image.  I am always very impressed. You have a very great talent when photographed...and of course in the garden.

[Gabriela]

That shrub in the background  is a delight, particularly when it's turning red in autumn.
Not the right thread to post a picture of it, but I love it so much   :

(Attachment Link)

The right light, the right moment and someone there to take the picture

[Philippe]

Bringing this thread back to the top.
I made no update last year. The Rheum nobile just continued on getting stronger.
Right now, it is just sprouting out of the soil again, not without having given the usual fears before: no sign of new growth during the last 2/3 weeks, although the weather was fine and not so cold and snow had gone since mid-late April.
But here he is again:



I think I can see some translucent part on the emerging leaves in the very middle of the plant. I wondered if this could not be the bracts of a oncoming flowering stem? Not sure though :
- I firstly would have expected a much larger bud if a blossom is expected in the next weeks ( or it may be the plant will only produce a very weak flowering stem)
- the plant still looks not mature enough for me  to have already reached flowering stage.

Let's see. The plant development is very fast once it is awoken from the wintersleep, I'll know more probably next week already

Edit 01.06: no flower for Rheum nobile this year

[Philippe]

The emerging Rheum nobile enjoyed the wet and very mild weather we had during the last weeks. It litteraly exploded within the last 15 days and here is how it looks now :



Found this article on Rheum nobile flowering particularities and adaptation to the high alpine climate :

http://english.kib.cas.cn/rh/rp/201211/t20121108_95047.html

As a gardener, and as many others here I guess, I had to wince reading some lines and seeing the pictures, especially the one lettered with "e": taking away the bracts to measure their role/efficiency in the seed production process ! It just hurts!
Science, science 
I'm sure they did'nt even do anything with the seedlings after the germination tests. Probably the pots were thrown away, as this is no protected plant. That hurts too!

[barnclos]

I have just read through this post, and it seems that the fun has only just begun. Seed sown 17 January 2019.

[Gabriela]

That was fast Keith.
If only the seedlings/young plants would be so easy going! Good luck with it.