Seasonal Wild Flowers

Latin name

Rheum palmatum x rhaponticum = R. x hybridum

Family

Polygonaceae

Flowering season

April to July

English distribution

It is grown as crop everywhere and the escape is scattered

throughout the country.

See the BSBI distribution map for Rhubarb

Habitat

It is neophyte which has been grown in the UK since the

1570s.

It was originally used as a herbal medicine before being

grown for its leaf stalks in the 1900s.

It has been recorded as an escape in the last 60 years

and is found in relic gardens, on waste land and on river

banks.

It is spread by fragments of rhizomes which may be

purposely discarded.

Description

Rhubarb is a large, rhizomatous, perennial herb growing

up to 1.5m.

The flowers are in tall leafless spikes (pannicles)

Individual flowers are made up of 6 creamy, petaloid

tepals.

There are 9 cream-coloured stamens and 3 capitate

stigmas.

Fruits are achenes, which are 3-angled and with 3

membranous wings.

The leaves are large and have long, green to red,

stalks.

It is the leaf stalks (petioles) which are eaten.

In gardens it is not normally desirable for Rhubarb to

bolt i.e., go to seed.