Don't eat gunnera-manicata. It is easily recognised by its enormous leaves and spiky stems up to 2m tall. grow up to 4ft tall. If the damage is on the leaves - and it looks like large, ragged holes in the leaves, and you do not see a likely culprit when you check the rhubarb during the day, it could be slugs. Unlike the reddish stems that grow from them, the crown and leaves of the plant are not edible. ... That looks like a nice, healthy Great Burdock to me. It certainly looks like gunnera, the only thing confusing me is that on the BBC entry for it is has "Skill Level - Experienced" and this has sprung up in a patch left completely untended since last spring! What's the problem? it's more likely to be something like burdock. There are actually a lot of other plants that resemble rhubarb. But unfortunately, as it sounds like it has come up like a weed, rather than being established in a garden you have just come to (?) Exotic Looking Rhubarb Plants Fill a Garden Space Burdock is an biennial plant that reporduces by seed. Or toxic? An invasive, non-native plant. To prepare rhubarb for cooking, knowing what the plant looks like is a must.. The stalks of Burdock are hollow, while the stalks of rhubarb are solid. Is it edible? This is what rhubarb looks like as a plant: Photo credit: CLG20171/Flickr Rhubarb is naturally tart -- and we mean bone-chillingly tart -- when it's raw, so … The ?flowers? The mature leaves of Burdock are less curly than rhubarb, and the undersides of the leaves are "wooly" or "hairy", unlike rhubarb. They have purple flowers that turn into brown burrs that stick on everything. Anyway, the roots are. If you are even luckier, it's Gunnera manicata, and will grow to a huge size eventually if protected over winter. When the plant starts to grow, it looks a lot like rhubarb except all green. On some varieties of rhubarb the stalks stay green. I'd say you better get it out of there before it produces seeds. Once it gets larger, it shoots upwards on big, thick stalks and some can get up over 6 feet tall! They look like rhubarb because of the familiar shapes of the leaves, the stem is somewhat similar, but these plants are NOT rhubarb. It readily escapes from gardens, and is sometimes planted or dumped in the wild. The plant spreads and grows via the rhubarb crowns, and new plants can be propagated by dividing them. The leaves are very large: ~14" wide. Rhubarb is a well-loved plant because its stems can be used to make amazing desserts.However, rhubarb must be prepared properly because some parts of this plant contain toxins which are very dangerous for consumption. Surely, breaking a stem and tasting (or even smelling) will tell you if it's rhubarb, NyBoy. Burdock plants (weeds) can grow to a height of 6 feet, unlike rhubarb plants. Rhubarb is the first "fruit" of the season - used as a fruit, but grows like a vegetable. What should I do with it? It's the tall center one. Rhubarb crowns are the portions of a rhubarb plant located under the ground's surface that consist of rhizomes and buds. I do absolutely nothing for it and it come back every year. and another starting up! Hello, I have this large perennial plant growing next to my rhubarb. This old fashioned perennial is very easy to grow, coming back bigger year after year with little care. This huge plant is very popular in gardens, where it’s grown beside ponds and in damp, boggy areas. I have this HUGE plant overtaking my front garden (it's over 4 feet wide at this point!) Giant Rhubarb Protects A Shoreline. It sure looks like rhubarb. With huge leaves on long red to green petioles it can also make a dramatic statement in the garden. Steve Still, they are supposed to be edible. And if you are unsure about any plant that looks like a rhubarb type, don't chance it at all. 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