Perennial vegetable
Rhubarb plant profile
Rheum rhabarbarum
A perennial vegetable for full sun.
Last updated .
When to plant
When to plant Rhubarb
Start seeds indoors
6 weeks before your last spring frost
Growing conditions
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- 1 in / week
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Spacing
- 36 in apart
Common problems
Watch for these
Also watch for: rhubarb curculio, stalk borer, leaf spot, crown rot.
Evidence trail
Evidence behind this profile
Original extension and institutional publications behind the planting, care, and safety facts on this page.
- Growing rhubarb in home gardens
University of Minnesota Extension. Supports indoor seed-starting timing (direct). Checked 2026-06-11.
- Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants: Rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum) entry
ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. Supports pet-safety verdicts for dogs and cats. Checked 2026-07-18.