Rhubarb

Rhubarb

Rheum × hybridum

Rhubarb is a productive perennial vegetable grown for its tart, colorful leaf stalks. Large leaves create bold texture and provide excellent visual contrast in edible landscapes. Once established, rhubarb returns year after year with relatively little maintenance, making it a dependable foundation plant for perennial food gardens.

Size at maturity: 2–3' tall, 3–4' wide
Light: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium moisture; prefers consistent moisture
Harvest: Spring through early summer
Wildlife: Flowers can provide resources for pollinators if allowed to bloom
Special features & uses: Perennial edible crop; long-lived; productive; excellent edible-landscape plant

Plant with: Comfrey for a productive perennial food system, or self-heal and broadleaf plantain for a diverse, low-maintenance edible garden floor.

Perfect for food forests, perennial vegetable gardens, and edible landscapes. Harvest the stalks while young and crisp, but never eat the leaves, which contain high levels of oxalic acid.