Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
lolagranola

Is this really rhubarb?

lolagranola
16 years ago

Okay, call me crazy but I've had a neighborhood weigh off with 50% saying no and 50% saying yes. My common sense says yes, but the neighbor who use to be friends with the old owner of this house says no! So, can someone set my mind at ease before I break out the casserole dish and the pie plates?

{{gwi:217772}}

{{gwi:217774}}

Comments (10)

  • bean_counter_z4
    16 years ago

    It looks like rhubarb to me. I have several varieties. Not all have nice red stalks like yours. I have burdock in the pasture that looks a lot like rhubarb, but the leaves have a different texture and don't have the ruffled edge.

  • kydaylilylady
    16 years ago

    No honey, that's not rhubarb. That's burrdock. And a nice healthy one at that! If you don't get rid of it now you're going to have a host of cockleburrs this fall and the fun will really start.

    Janet

  • lolagranola
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Ahhh! This is what i'm talking about! Well, is burdock poisonous? What if I put it to a taste test. (Although I'm not that excited about the idea).

  • bean_counter_z4
    16 years ago

    Beats me? Rhubarb leaves have a smooth texture.

    Rhubarb photo. (Thank you Cornell, I borrowed your pix.) {{gwi:217776}}
    Rhubarb leaves are poisonous but the stalks are good for pies and sauces. As a kid, we just ate them fresh in the garden. Sour.

    Burdock (photo VA Tech) burdock leaves aren't as smooth and are lighter in color. I know, if you don't have both, how can you compare?
    {{gwi:217778}}
    I copied this off the Sacred Earth site: The leave stems can be peeled and cut and either added raw to salads, or added to various soups, stews or bakes, or even made into a candied sweet. Leaves are rarely used for food as they soon become too bitter and tough to be enjoyable. The roots however, are delectable, although they require some determined effort to collect, as they are long and deeply anchored. They usually need to be dug out. Once brought to the surface they must be thoroughly cleaned and peeled to cut away the tough outer rind. What remains can be prepared as a delicious root vegetable, with a slightly sweet, nutty flavour that some have likened to Jerusalem Artichokes. The roots are excellent when pureed or added to stews and soups. As a healing food, the root is particularly recommended for diabetes sufferers, as it is rich in inulin and helps to even out blood sugar levels.

  • lindac
    16 years ago

    The OP has rhubarb....not burdock. If you need a picture of burdock I will run outside and take a picture before it dies of roundup poisioning!
    Linda C

  • lolagranola
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Okay, the stem is hollow, is that true for rhubarb? I read that it is true for burdock.

  • jayco
    16 years ago

    It's burdock. If it were rhubarb the stems (with the exception of flower stems) would not be hollow. Also, just give it the old sniff test. Rhubarb smells... well, like rhubarb! Tangy, acidic, and edible.

  • alicate
    16 years ago

    Easy way to tell: Burdock has fuzzy leaves, rhubarb doesn't. Go feel your leaves :)

  • remy_gw
    16 years ago

    Hi,
    It looks like burdock to me. To read about cooking it, go to the See My Clippings link on my member page. Scroll down. There are a couple posts I saved about it.
    Remy

  • lolagranola
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    And the final verdict was that it was burdock. The stems were hollow. Thanks to everyone that helped me try to figure it out. I tried digging a burdock root up last night. Not fun.

    There's a picture of it on my blog if you're interested.

    Here is a link that might be useful: My Grandpa's Garden