Photo: Alexander Klink, CC BY 4.0 · source

Perennial · Polygonaceae

Chinese rhubarb

Rheum palmatum

In other languages: Sierrabarber (Nederlands) · Rhubarbe de Chine (Français)

Chinese rhubarb comes from the mountains of north-west China and Tibet. It is a huge perennial with hand-shaped, deeply cut leaves up to almost a metre across, on thick, reddish stalks. In June and July, flower stems up to 2 m tall rise between them, topped with large plumes of tiny creamy white to deep pink flowers. Gardeners choose it for its architectural, almost tropical look beside a pond or in a large border. Well known are ‘Atrosanguineum’, whose young leaves unfurl deep purple-red and whose flowers are crimson-pink, and the variety tanguticum, with deeply cut, red-tinged leaves.

Caution: Toxic: the leaves contain a lot of oxalic acid and the roots are also harmful if eaten. Keep children, dogs, cats and grazing animals such as horses, sheep and goats away from the plant, and do not throw cut leaves into a field. It is not culinary rhubarb: do not eat the stalks.

Updated on 9 October 2026

Light
Sun or partial shade
preferably some sun
Moisture
Normal to wet
must not dry out
Legal basis
Loam, clay or peat
any pH
Hardiness
Fully hardy
down to -30 °C
Size
2 m
tall, 1.8 m wide
Flowering
June–July

Key facts
Pruning months	August and October
Height	2 m
Native to Belgium	No, planted
Poisonous to people and pets	Yes, take care with children and pets
Flowering	June–July

Identify

Chinese rhubarb: how do you recognise it?

Habit: Mighty clump about 2 m tall in flower and 1.8 m wide; the leaves alone form a dome 1–1.5 m high.
Leaves: Hand-shaped and deeply cut into pointed lobes, up to almost 1 m across, on thick stalks. Often red when young, later dark green; in some cultivars the underside stays reddish.
Flower: Large, airy plumes of countless small flowers on sturdy, hollow stems up to 2 m tall.
Colour: Creamy white, pink or crimson, depending on the cultivar.
Fruit: Small, winged, reddish seeds that give the plumes a second season of interest.
Roots: A thick, fleshy rootstock that goes deep into the soil.

Flowering: June–July · Plants: March–April and October · Pruning: August and October

In your garden

Why grow it?

Spectacular leaves that fill a whole space in one season: a focal point beside a pond or in a large border.
Imposing flower plumes up to 2 m tall in June and July, followed by reddish seed heads.
In spring the young leaves often unfurl deep red, which is very decorative.
Fully hardy and long-lived.
Grows on heavy clay and wet soil, where many other plants struggle.

Chinese rhubarb: where does it grow best?

Sun or half shade; in full sun only if the soil stays moist, otherwise the leaves wilt.
Deep, rich loam, clay or peaty soil; acid, neutral or chalky makes little difference.
Moist to wet, for example beside a pond or stream, but the crown must not sit in stagnant water in winter.
Sheltered from strong wind, which tears the large leaves.
Allow at least 1.8–2 m of space: it needs room to spread its leaves.

Light: Sun and partial shade
Soil type: Loam, clay or peat
Acidity: Not fussy
Moisture: Normal or wet
Size: 2 m tall, 1.8 m wide
Hardiness: Hardy (to -30 °C)

Goes well with

Rodgersia: Another large-leaved plant for moist soil, but lower and with coloured plumes.
Siberian iris: Narrow, upright leaves as a contrast to the broad rhubarb leaves.
Meadowsweet: Creamy, scented plumes in summer, on the same wet soil.
Ostrich fern: Fine, fresh green fronds for the shady side of the clump.
Miscanthus: A tall ornamental grass that takes over in autumn as the leaves die back.

Maintenance

Chinese rhubarb: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–April and October.

Plant in March–April or in October.
Dig a generous hole, twice as wide as the root ball, and mix in plenty of compost or well-rotted manure.
Set the plant so that the buds on the rootstock lie just below the soil surface, no deeper.
Keep at least 1.8 m away from other large plants.
Water in well and keep the soil moist during the first year.
Spread a thick layer of compost or mulch around the plant, but not over the buds.

Care

Water: Water generously in dry spells: the large leaves lose a lot of moisture and wilt otherwise.
Feeding: Every spring a thick layer of well-rotted manure or compost around the plant.
Mulching: A layer of mulch keeps the soil moist and feeds the plant.
Flower stem: Cut off the faded stem if you do not like it, or leave the seed heads standing.
Leaves: In autumn, cut away the dead leaves so slugs cannot hide in them.
Moving: A large, old plant is hard to move: choose a permanent spot from the start.

Tip: Give it a wheelbarrow of manure or compost every spring: the richer and moister the soil, the bigger the leaves.

Chinese rhubarb: when to prune it?

Pruning months: August and October.

When: It needs hardly any pruning. In August, cut off the faded flower stems, and in October clear away the dead leaves.

How:

After flowering, cut the flower stem off just above the ground, or leave it for the decorative seed heads.
In autumn, cut the yellowed and dead leaves off at the base.
In summer, feel free to remove torn or damaged leaves; new ones will follow.
Wear gloves and do not leave cut leaves lying where children or animals can reach them.

Caution: When tidying up, do not cut off the buds on the rootstock: next spring’s new leaves grow from them.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Division: In March, just before the buds break, cut off a piece of rootstock with at least one bud using a sharp spade and replant it straight away elsewhere.
Seed: Sow fresh seed in autumn in a pot and leave it outside. Seedlings may differ from the parent and take a few years to reach full size.

Chinese rhubarb: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −30 °C.

Fully hardy, to about −30 °C: no protection is needed in Belgium.
The leaves die back in autumn; the fat buds overwinter just below the soil.
Late frosts can damage the young leaves in April; cover them with fleece when frost is forecast.
On heavy, wet soil: make sure water does not stand around the crown in winter, or it will rot.

Diseases and pests

Crown rot: Soft, rotting buds and a plant that fails to sprout or sprouts weakly in spring, especially in stagnant water. Improve drainage or move it to a spot where water drains away.
Slugs: Make holes in the young leaves in spring. Pick them off in the evening and clear away dead leaves.
Limp or scorched leaves: A sign of drought or too much sun. Water generously, mulch, or choose a spot with shade around midday.
Torn leaves: Caused by wind or hail. Cut off damaged leaves and choose a sheltered spot.

Through the year

March: Plant and divide. Give a thick layer of manure or compost.
April: The young red leaves unfurl. Protect from late frost and slugs.
May: The leaves grow fast. Water in dry spells.
June: Flower stems appear. Flowering starts.
July: Full flower. Water generously in dry spells.
August: Cut off faded stems or leave them for the seed heads.
October: Cut away dead leaves. Plant.
November: Rest. Mulch around the plant, not over the buds.

Use

Edible and useful

Not edible. Ornamental rhubarb is not the rhubarb from the vegetable garden: do not eat the stalks and never the leaves, which are rich in oxalic acid and poisonous, to pets too. The root is strongly laxative. If you want to eat rhubarb, grow culinary rhubarb (Rheum × hybridum) and use only the stalks. If any is swallowed, call a poison centre (in Belgium 070 245 245) or your doctor at once.

You and this species

Did you know?

It is related to culinary rhubarb, sorrel and knotweed: all members of the dock family, Polygonaceae.
The rootstock of this Chinese rhubarb was for centuries a precious trade good, carried from China to Europe along long caravan routes.
‘Palmatum’ means hand-shaped and refers to the shape of the leaves.

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