Chilean rhubarb
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3Will it grow where I live?
Chilean rhubarb is hardy to zone 7: lowlands, river valleys and cities across Central Europe are fine, harsher continental or upland sites need winter protection or a container.
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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.
Propagation
Samen – am besten im Herbst direkt nach der Reife in ein sandiges Substrat im Frühbeetkasten aussäen. Alternativ kann der Samen im Frühjahr an einem schattigen Platz im Gewächshaus ausgesät werden. Die Keimung erfolgt in der Regel innerhalb von 2–8 Wochen bei 15 °C. Sobald die Sämlinge groß genug sind, werden sie in einzelne Töpfe pikiert und mindestens den ersten Winter im Gewächshaus weiterkultiviert. Im späten Frühjahr oder frühen Sommer, nach den letzten Frösten, werden sie an ihren endgültigen Standort gepflanzt. Teilung: Sobald im Frühjahr der neue Austrieb beginnt, können die Horste direkt an ihren endgültigen Standort gepflanzt werden.
Origin & habitat
Moist soils by lakes and rivers of the central provinces.
Frequently asked questions
Chilean rhubarb: how big does it get?
Chilean rhubarb (Gunnera tinctoria) grows as a perennial and reaches roughly 2.2 m in height when mature, with a spread of about 2.5 m. Growth is fast.
Chilean rhubarb: what site does it need?
Chilean rhubarb tolerates partial shade. Suitable soils are Sand, Silt, Loam. Soil moisture should be in the range semi-dry – very wet. The pH may lie between 5.9 and 8.1.
Chilean rhubarb: is it hardy?
Chilean rhubarb is listed as hardy in zone 7–9 and survives normal winters outdoors there.
Chilean rhubarb: will it grow in Central Europe?
Chilean rhubarb is hardy to zone 7: lowlands, river valleys and cities across Central Europe are fine, harsher continental or upland sites need winter protection or a container.
Chilean rhubarb: is it poisonous?
No toxicity is recorded for Chilean rhubarb. With wild plants, never rely on a database alone — only on a confident identification.
Chilean rhubarb: what is it used for?
Rated on a scale up to 10: Edible 1/10, Medicinal 1/10, Other uses 3/10.
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