Rheum rhabarbarum
- Phonetic Spelling
- REE-um ra-BAR-buh-rum
- This plant has medium severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
-
Perennial herb; leaves in basal clumps, large, with thick, reddish petiole, and large, heart-shaped, blades; flowers small, in a dense, elongated, terminal cluster; fruit 3-winged, reddish.
Found in: Houseplant or interiorscape; landscape in vegetable gardens or as herbaceous ornamental
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Rheum
- Species:
- rhabarbarum
- Family:
- Polygonaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Asia
- Edibility:
- Cooked leaf stalks (petioles) in pies and puree
-
-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Perennial
- Poisonous
-
-
Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Description:
- Angular 3-winged, reddish containing one seed.
-
-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Green
- White
-
-
Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Large green leaves up to 2 feet across. Red petioles which are fleshy and edible when cooked.
-
-
Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
-
-
Landscape:
- Landscape Theme:
- Edible Garden
- Problems:
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
-
-
Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- Medium
- Poison Symptoms:
- TOXIC ONLY IF LARGE QUANTITIES EATEN. Abdominal cramps, burning of mouth and throat, headache, weakness, nausea and vomiting, coma; may be fatal Kidney failure (in grazing animals), salivation in dogs/cats. Most toxic parts are leaves and roots.
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Anthraquinone glycosides and soluble oxalates, also possibly calcium oxylate crystals
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- No
- Poison Part:
- Leaves
- Roots
