What to Know About Growing Rhubarb

Lindsay Olin
10 min readApr 16, 2022
Photo by Maximilian Zahn on Unsplash

Rhubarb is an easy-going perennial vegetable grown for its long, tart, reddish stalks that resemble rosy celery. Its most common uses include making sweet preserves and baked goods. In this post, you’ll discover all the essentials about how to grow rhubarb and enjoy a generous harvest for many years to come.

This perennial plant grows best in cool climates where the winters are cold enough for a dormancy period of at least six weeks. Choose a location for planting rhubarb where it can grow undisturbed year after year.

The large leaf stalks are the only edible part of rhubarb plants. They’re intensely tart and normally get cooked before eating. Rhubarb leaf tissue contains high levels of oxalic acid, which is toxic to humans and animals. Ensure that pets and livestock don’t have access to rhubarb plants.

With the right growing conditions, rhubarb is a low-maintenance vegetable that rewards your efforts for ten years or more. Keep reading to learn all about growing rhubarb in your home garden.

Best Tips and Tricks for Growing Rhubarb

Rhubarb, or Rheum rhabarbarum, is native to China. It was first introduced to Europe and North America in the 17th century. It’s a member of the buckwheat family (Polygonaceae) and gets cultivated for its edible leaf stalks or…

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Lindsay Olin

Crazy plant lady, daydreamer, traveler, and freelance writer. Support more garden gab at https://gardengnomeacademy.com/