Rhubarb?

[Eboz]

Hi there! I have this plant (weed?) that grows by my house foundation each year. I typically just chop it down.

1. Is it rhubarb?
2. Are rhubarb plants dangerous for children? I have a home childcare so need to be sure.

3. If it is rhubarb, how do know when to harvest?

Thanks! Signed with my brown thumb!

 

[Collector]

Hello and welcome Eboz, it defiantly looks like rhubarb . I have heard the leaves can be poisonous , maybe you can move it to a safer spot with more sun. Just dig the big clump out and plant it elseware and keep watered.it may also be burdock which is a weed but looks similar. Burdock also spreads faster, and has like fuzzy leaves. If it has smooth leaves I say it is rhubarb.

 

[aftermidnight]

Another vote for Burdock, not Rhubarb.

 

[Beekissed]

That doesn't look like rhubarb to me...stalks are fuzzy and leaves to slender shaped, stalks too closely grown.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I also vote for Burdock. The leaves are fairly close but Rhubarb stalks should be stronger and more upright. They should not flop and sag like that. There are probably different varieties of Rhubarb but I'd expect the stalks to be more red.

Burdock is a medicinal plant, which means it can affect some people's body functions in some way. With your child care I'd keep chopping it. It's a biennial, which means it has a two year life cycle. The roots are not that massive, which surprised me, with it being biennial I expected a massive taproot. It grows all over the place here, I collect roots for a friend that uses it as medication. Even chopping it regularly expect it to come back from roots.

Welcome, glad you found us.

 

[Carol Dee]

Burdock

 

[Zeedman]

One more vote for burdock. I've got a lot of it on one side of my lot... very difficult to eliminate. Animals carry the "stick tight" seeds on their fur.

 

[ducks4you]

BURDOCK!!!!! Kill it!!!!!