It seems to me that a lot of people hear about the rhubarb plant being toxic. Rhubarb does contain a toxic chemical compound called oxalic acid. However, most of this oxalate is in the leaves. An average person would have to eat a huge amount (over 10 pounds) of the toxic leaves to cause death. You would obviously get quite sick from eating just a fraction of that amount, so I wouldn't really recommend eating the leaves for any reason.The rhubarb stalks contain a negligible amount of the oxalic acid, so they are completely safe for consumption. To be safe, be sure to cut the leaves off of the rhubarb when you harvest it and instruct children to eat only the stalk.Is Rhubarb Poisonous?
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