Rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum) is a vegetable that is often prepared and eaten as a fruit, made into pies, jellies, jellies, and more. This cool-season crop, which is perennial in many areas, is grown for its fibrous leaf stalks, which can be a wonderful bitter delight.rnrnAdditionally, rhubarb can make a beautiful ornamental plant with its large, textured leaves and thick stems. Rhubarb plants are generally hardy and long-lived, with some varieties growing for 20 years or more.rnrnPlant in early spring, but don't start harvesting until the second growing season.