- Don’t eat the leaves—they’re poisonous!
- To add irony to its bitter flavor, the word rhubarb also means “a heated dispute or controversy,” according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.
- Rhubarb became an official fruit in the U.S. thanks to a 1947 New York court ruling, but this member of the buckwheat family is normally considered a vegetable.
- Rhubarb in pie is celebrated nationally two times a year: January 23rd is National Rhubarb Pie Day, and June 9th is National Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie Day.
- This stalky plant produces pretty, dramatic flowers that can be enjoyed for a short time if you don’t let them seed.
- The plant freezes well, with only about a quarter of the crop sold fresh in the U.S.
- According to some, rhubarb is very easy to grow.
- The redder the stalk, the sweeter its taste.
- Rhubarb chili is a thing.
- Don’t confuse garden-variety rhubarb with the Wild Rhubarb plant—despite its name, the latter isn’t actually rhubarb and is not edible.
From Scratch
Caroline Paras
