Any of several species of the genus Rheum (family Polygonaceae), especially R. rhaponticum (or R. rhabarbarum ), a hardy perennial grown for its large, succulent, edible leafstalks.
Rhubarb is best adapted to the cooler parts of the temperate zones. The fleshy, tart, and highly acid leafstalks are used in pies, compotes and preserves, and sometimes as the base of a wine or an aperitif. The roots withstand cold well. The huge leaves that unfold in early spring are toxic to cattle and humans; later in the season a large central flower stalk may bear numerous small, greenish-white flowers and angular, winged fruits. Rhubarb root has long been considered to have cathartic and purgative properties.
Rhubarb ( Rheum rhaponticum )
Derek Fell