June 2025
LATIN NAME: Gunnera manicata
COMMON NAME: Giant Rhubarb
FAMILY: Gunneraceae
TYPE: Herbaceous perennial
ORIGIN: Columbia, Southern Brazil
LOCATION AT BLOEDEL RESERVE: Mid-Pond
GARDEN USES: Rain Garden, Pond Edge
FUN FACT:
With stalks soaring up to 6 feet and leaves just as wide, giant rhubarb is one of the largest herbaceous perennials on Earth! Hidden beneath its colossal canopy, tiny red-green flowers often emerge on thick, club-like spikes rising from the center of the plant. The genus name Gunnera honors Johan Ernst Gunnerus, a botanist and author of Flora Norvegica. The species name manicata means “with long sleeves”, which is a nod to its dramatic, oversized foliage.
Photo credit: Sean Peterson, Jen Layne