Is this rhubarb?

(Question)

I have this plant in my backyard garden. could you tell me if it is rhubarb? Is it edable? Thanks a lot.

(Answer)

Thank you for contacting the Toronto Master Gardeners with your plant identification question.

Well the choices are either rhubarb or burdock root, and they are very hard to distinguish from this picture because the surface view of the leaf are indistinguishable.

Although I would venture an initial guess that this is most likely burdock root , simply because the stems do not have any pink blush or not started to thicken up more; the real distinguishing characteristics are the texture of the bottom of the leaf, and if  the stem is hollow or not.

You have burdock root if  the undersides of the leaf blades are white woolly and the stout leafstalks are hollow. If the undersides of the leaves are without woolly fuzz, and the stems are not hollow, then you have rhubarb.

Enjoy.