• Rhu Bru Pty Ltd - producers of rhubarb juice drinks and rhubarb syrups in Scottsdale Tasmania 7260. Australia
• Apple Pie - An ever growing database of apple pie recipes.
• Leslie Land - In Kitchen and Garden
• Frugal Creations - ideas and how-to projects, ideas on decorating, cooking and sharing times with loved ones.

Composting rhubarb leaves

Many folks have been concerned about adding rhubarb leaves to their compost piles. If the leaves are poisonous, they must be bad for compost as well, since rhubarb stalks contain a high concentration of oxalic acid which slightly toxic, right? What actually occurs when rhubarb is added to a compost pile is that the oxalic acid is mostly broken down, diluted and pH balanced rather quickly. People do not eat compost piles as a rule anyway, and even if a child were to eat compost dirt, there would be problems other than from and remaining oxalic acid from the decomposing rhubarb stalks. Experience has  shown that the level of acid does not inhibit the microbial action of composting. Compost piles which were nearly all rhubarb leaves and stalks have decomposed very nicely and the compost has behaved like ordinary compost and no inhibition of plant growth was noticed from the compost.

Compost Bin
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Please note that some items are a problem for composting including: omnivore (cat and dog) pet feces (composting it is fine, just don't use the compost for plants that you will eat), diapers, meat scraps, and treated lumber (older treated lumber contained chromated copper arsenate).

Rhubarb plants will occasionally send up seed stalks with flowers in the middle of the plants. These stalks may not grow on young plants but are common on plants that are 3-4 years old and older. Some varieties of rhubarb are more likely to flower than others. Victoria is known to be a prolific flowering variety. Allowing the plant to complete flowering will reduce the vigor of the plant and shorten its stalk producing season. If the plant is grown as an ornamental the tall stalks of flowers (Victoria has white (greenish)) is quite impressive. But if you are growing rhubarb as a vegetable for the stalks, then the flowers and seed stalks should be cut out as soon as they start forming. The plant may still continue to produce more flower stalks throughout the spring, so keep cutting them. Contrary to popular opinion, rhubarb plants do NOT become poisonous after flowering starts. The leaf stalks can still be cut and used and the leaves themselves should be discarded (composted) as they are always poisonous.

Emerging Rhubarb Flower
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Rhubarb Flower
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Rhubarb is incredibly versatile with many culinary uses. Try it in cakes and desserts, pastries, jams, pickles, conserves, sauces and, of course, wine. There may be several recipes by the same name but they are different (although sometimes only slightly, I have tried to remove the duplicates). There are now over 300 recipes in this collection. Remember, only the stalks are edible, don't eat the leaves or roots. If you have a recipe to add to this collection or a comment on a recipe, please dan [at] rhubarbinfo [dot] com (email) it to me.

Rhubarb is available in many different species. Here at The Rhubarb Compendium we are primarily concerned with common garden rhubarb, Rheum x cultorum. Below you will find a list of common, and some not so common, rhubarbs. Not all of these are suitable for making pies and tarts. Many are strictly for ornamental use.

• Rheum acuminatum - Ornamental Rhubarb

This plant likes to grow in or near water, in summer it has red seedpods. It is disease-free and hardy all across the country (Canada). Low mounds of heavily veined leaves, rich red petioles, and upright, branched and spidery stems or red flowers to 4 feet (1.25 m). Adaptive to full sun or partial shade in rather rich, humus. Cut it hard back after flowering to rejuvenate foliage for the remaining season. Excellent autumn tones of red in full sun.

• Rheum alexandrae - Ornamental Rhubarb

An ornamental rhubarb. Spikes of flowers rising to 3-4 feet (1-1.25 m) completely shielded by large, translucent white bracts, and in autumn, spectacular red autumn color.

• Rheum alpinum - European Wild Rhubarb

Leaves used for wrapping cheeses, rhizomes used as pig food.

• Rheum altaicum

• Rheum australe - Himalayan rhubarb

Seven foot (2 meter) long stems have yellow flowers in late spring-summer. Red stems with large greenish red, heart-shaped leaves.

Rhubarb has a long history of herbal usage. The primary result of rhubarb root as an herbal medicine is a positive and balancing effect upon the digestive system. Rhubarb is one of the most widely used herbs in Chinese medicine. Rhubarb roots are harvested in the fall from plants that are at least six years old. The roots are then dried for later use. The root is used as an anticholesterolemic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, antitumor, aperient, astringent, cholagogue, demulcent, diuretic, laxative, purgative, stomachic and tonic. Rhubarb roots contain anthraquinones which have a purgative effect, and the tannins and bitters have an an effect that is opposite that of an astringent.

When taken internally in small doses, rhubarb acts as an astringent tonic to the digestive system, when taken larger doses rhubarb acts as a very mild laxative. The root can be taken internally for the treatment of chronic constipation, diarrhea, liver and gall bladder complaints, hemorrhoids, menstrual problems and skin eruptions due to an accumulation of toxins. Note that this remedy should not used by pregnant or lactating women, or patients with intestinal obstruction. Used externally, rhubarb root can be used in the treatment of burns.

People have further claimed that Rhubarb enhances the appetite when it is taken before meals in small amounts, that it also promotes blood circulation and relieves pain in cases of injury or inflammation, inhibits intestinal infections. and can also reduce autoimmune reactions. The impact of the rhubarb depends on how it is prepared. More recently there have been claims that rhubarb root (Rheum officinale) can be useful in treatment of Hepatitis B.

Rhubarb can be propagated by several means: Dividing the root mass, growing rhubarb from seeds, or by Tissue Culture. Of course, you can always purchase rhubarb plants or rhizomes ready to plant in your garden. See the list of sources for a few of the mail order companies that sell rhubarb.

Dividing and Thinning Rhubarb

Rhubarb can propagated by planting pieces obtained by dividing the crown. Pieces are taken from 4-5 year old crowns. You can divide earlier if you desire more plants. Dividing can be done either in the spring or the fall with equal success, but I have found early spring is best. I wait until early growth is just starting so I can see where to best divide the root mass. Dig up the crowns and roots being careful not to damage the crown. Cut the roots into 4 to 8 pieces. It is recommended to split dormant crowns between large buds or "eyes" so that at least a 2-inch cross section of storage root is left with each bud. Be careful of is not to break off the delicate buds which are easily broken, but otherwise the roots are quite tough and will tolerate quite a bit of rough handling. Very small buds will give small plants for the first few years after planting, while four to ten new roots can usually be obtained from crowns that have been grown a few years. Root pieces should be protected from drying or freezing if they are not to be planted immediately. When dividing crowns for re-planting, it is important to mark the vigorous plants in June and use them as planting stock the following spring. Crowns should not be divided from diseased plants.