Culinary Rhubarb Production in North America: History and Recent Statistics

Abstract

Rhubarb's history as a highly popular laxative drug and a general tonic traces back to ancient China and the Mediterranean region, although not until the 18th Century do we come upon occasional reports of its petioles being used for food, mainly in England and English colonies. [Earlier, in England and reportedly in the Middle East, rhubarb was used as a table green like spinach or beet greens, it not being understood that the leaves can be toxic and even fatal, probably because of calcium oxalates and/or anthrone glycosides Nonetheless, widespread table use did not occur in either North America or northern Europe until the 19th Century.