common rhubarb

A large herbaceous perennial which overwinters as a short crown, and in spring produces triangular to heart-shaped dark green leaves up to 50cm long, held on thick, slightly ridged, reddish-green stems. In mid summer, dense panicles of small greenish-yellow flowers are held on upright stems above the foliage, followed by reddish-green seeds. This species may have been involved in the parentage of the hybrids now used as culinary rhubarb