What's eating my victoria rhubarb?

Victoria rhubarb has few serious pests, but slugs damage young crowns in spring, and the rhubarb curculio beetle can girdle stems in North America. Crown rot and aphids are secondary concerns. In UK gardens, slugs around emerging crowns are the main threat. Keep the crown clear of debris, use slug controls in early spring, and remove any rotting leaf bases promptly.

Chew into newly emerging crowns and young stems in early spring before stalks toughen; surface scarring and decay entry points result. Apply iron-phosphate pellets around crowns from late February; clear dead leaf litter where slugs overwinter; use a gritty mulch around the crown.

Adult beetles bore into stems leaving rust-colored sap oozing from entry holes; larvae tunnel through stalks and crowns, weakening plants. Hand-pick adults in June; remove nearby dock (Rumex) which hosts the beetle; no approved chemical treatment in home gardens — destroy infested stalks.

Clusters under large leaves; cosmetic honeydew and sooty mold; rarely severe enough to reduce yield on established Victoria crowns. Strong water jet to dislodge colonies; insecticidal soap if heavy; natural predator populations usually control them without intervention.