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.