California · Garden vegetables

Rhubarb season in California

Typically early March to mid-June, with peak mid-March through mid-May.

Hatched chalk = early and late shoulders; solid = peak.

A small crop from coastal and far-northern growers; most store stalks are from Washington and Oregon.

At a glance

Early

From early March — first pickings, lighter supply, best prices come later.

Peak

mid-March through mid-May — full stalls, full flavor. This is the stretch to plan around.

Late

Through mid-June — quantity for preserving, and the stalls start dealing.

Season length

about 15 weeks end to end, shoulders included.

U-pick rhubarb in California

Grip low and pull with a twist instead of cutting, and leave the toxic leaves in the field. The picking window tracks the band above: early trips get clean fields, peak (mid-March through mid-May) is the sure bet, late season is for quantity.

Farm-to-farm variation is real — up to two weeks either side of the typical window. Plan the trip, then call the farm before you drive.

Rhubarb

Look: Stalks should be glossy and crisp-looking; color runs green to deep red by variety, so redness alone does not mean ripeness.
Feel: Choose firm stalks that snap cleanly — limp or rubbery stalks are past their best.
Tip: At the patch, pull stalks with a twist at the base rather than cutting, and never eat the leaves — they are toxic.
Keeps: Wrap stalks in a damp towel in the fridge crisper, where they keep about a week.

Chasing the season?

Rhubarb peak moves across the map. After this window, it lands next in:

The whole national sweep · everything in season in California

Frequently asked questions

When is rhubarb season in California?

In California, the rhubarb season typically runs early March to mid-June, with peak availability mid-March through mid-May. Exact weeks shift a little with each year's weather.

When should I go u-pick rhubarb in California?

Aim for peak: mid-March through mid-May. An early trip around early March gets first choice of clean fields; a late one is for jam-and-freezer quantity. Any single farm can run up to two weeks either side of the chart — call before you drive.

How long does rhubarb season last in California?

about 15 weeks end to end — early March to mid-June. The early and late shoulders are real but lighter; the solid stretch of chalk on the band is the sure bet.