Should be fresh, firm, tender, crisp and either pink or red in color.  The stalks should be fairly thick. This will provide a product which will is tender and free from strings when cooked.  Stalks of rhubarb that are well colored are usually well flavored, but some varieties and some soils show little color.  Younger stems are usually more tender.  Stale rhubarb is usually wilted, flabby in appearance.  Rhubarb that has grown to long is usually pithy, rough or stringy.

Field grown rhubarb is rich, dark red in color and very tart in flavor.  Hot house rhubarb is usually light pink , almost stringless, and milder in flavor.