Chilean rhubarb

Profile

Family

Gunneraceae

Habit

perennial

Height

2.2 m

Spread

2.5 m

Growth

fast

Lifespan

20 years

First yield

after 3 years

Hardiness

zone 7–9

Shade tolerance

partial shade

Soil

Sand, Silt, Loam

Soil moisture

semi-dry – very wet

pH

5.9 – 8.1

Uses

Edible: Young leaf stalks – peeled and cooked as a vegetable or eaten raw. Acidic and refreshing.

Other uses: A black dye is obtained from the root. The root contains 9% tannin. The leaves are used for thatching.

Growing

Requires a moist, humus-rich soil in a sunny or semi-shaded position, sheltered from strong wind. The plants thrive even in rather coarse grass which can be mown annually in autumn. The rootstock is rather sensitive and tolerates temperatures down to -10°C. Outside the milder regions of Britain it therefore needs protection. This can be achieved by piling bracken or dying leaves around the base of the plant. The upper part of the inflorescence is male, the lower female and the middle hermaphroditic. This very decorative plant with its large leaves forms a slow-growing, dense clump. Species of this genus are rarely if ever browsed by deer.

Propagation

Seed – best sown in autumn directly after ripening in a sandy substrate in a cold frame. Alternatively, the seed can be sown in spring in a shady place in a greenhouse. Germination usually occurs within 2–8 weeks at 15°C. Once the seedlings are large enough, they are pricked out into individual pots and grown on for at least the first winter in the greenhouse. They are planted out at their final position in late spring or early summer, after the last frosts. Division: as soon as new growth begins in spring, the clumps can be planted directly at their final position.

Origin & habitat

S. America - Chile.

Moist soils by lakes and rivers of the central provinces.