Rhubarb
Rheum rhabarbarum

Family: Polygonaceae

What it is like

See Rheum x hybridum. Our common edible rhubarb is developed from this plant by hybridisation. A stemless herb. It is a herb that keeps growing from year to year. It grows 60-80 cm high. The rootstocks are stout and 8-12 cm across. The leaves near the base are in a ring. The leaf stalks are 15-30 cm long and fleshy. The leaves near the base are oval or triangle shaped. They are 10-16 cm long by 8-14 cm wide. They can be larger. They have shallow lobes. The edges are wavy. The flowering stems are 1-1.5 m high.

There are about 50 Rheum species. This is a wild species.

Where it is found

It requires cool temperate conditions. It is native to northern China and Siberia. In Hobart Botanical gardens.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Balkans, Caucasus, China, Europe, Finland, Georgia, Korea, Lithuania, Macedonia, Manchuria, Mongolia, North America, Norway, Russia, Scandinavia, Siberia, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Tasmania, USA, Uzbekistan

How it is used for food

CAUTION: The leaves contain oxalates and are poisonous. The leaf stalks are cooked and eaten. They need sweetening. They are used to flavour ice cream, jams, jellies, sauces, cakes, tarts, puddings, and are also stewed.

It is a commercially cultivated vegetable.

Edible parts

Leaf stalks, vegetable

How it is grown

It is grown by division of the rootstock. The flower stems are removed to give a better yield of leaf stalks next season.

Its other names

Local names

Bucharian rhubarb, Pieplant, Rabarbra, Wavy-leaved rhubarb

Synonyms

Rheum franzenbachii Munter; Rheum franzenbachii var. mongolicum Munter; Rheum undulatum Linn.; Rheum undulatum var. longifolium C. Y. Cheng & T. C. Kao;