Rheum Alexandrae

Alexander’s rhubarb is one of the most extraordinary architectural plants of the Chinese mountains. Large glossy, heart-shaped leaves form a substantial clump, while early-summer flower stems carry long drooping sprays hidden beneath overlapping creamy yellow bracts. These pendant bracts resemble rows of miniature pagoda roofs and protect the flowers from harsh mountain weather, inspiring the name pagoda rhubarb. Rheum alexandrae thrives beside streams and in wet alpine meadows and demands deep humus, constant moisture and cool conditions in cultivation.