Information about Fruits: Rhubarb

About rhubarb, information about the fruit, production, history and varieties in the world.

Rhubarb

It grows best in the cooler parts of the Temperate Zones. The fleshy, tart, and highly acid leafstalks can be eaten raw, cooked in pies, made into preserves, or used as a base for wine and aperitifs. In certain areas of the Himalayas, the leaves, which are said to contain a toxic substance, are cooked and eaten. The root has been used in China and Tibet as a cathartic. In England, the rhubarb has also been used medicinally. Persons with arthritis or rheumatism should not eat rhubarb. It should be used when the stalks are firm and crisp.