Shame they are poisonous...

[Mrs Ava]

when they make such lovely big leaves!  The Rhubarb is still growing like mad, and the compost heap is grateful for the leaves, but such a shame they are inedible!

[Mrs Ava]

[valmarg]

EJ, I can't remember exactly, but I think it was during WW1 the people tried to eke out supplies and boiled rhubarb leaves as a substitute for cabbage.  The cooks in those days always put a pinch of bicarb in with the cabbage, to retain its greenness.  When they did it with the rhubarb leaves it released oxalic acid, which is highly poisonous, and quite a few snuffed it.

valmarg

[Robert_Brenchley]

Don't ever eat rhubarb leaves, they've killed people. The oxalic acid reacts with calcium in the blood to produce calcium oxalate, which precipitates out and totally clogs your kidneys. These days they keep you on dialysis till it clears, but that's not a pleasant prospect.

[Mrs Ava]

No, I would never eat them, ever.  But they do look so sumptuous!  As I said, the compost heap loves them, I try to put a regular layer of bubby leaves over the compost just before I leave the site.

[Gardengirl]

Good grief Emma, what are you feeding your rhubarb on, I've never seen leaves that big :o