INVASIVE SPECIES
Giant rhubarb off the menu for British gardeners
he UK government is to ban giant rhubarb – also known as Gunnera, meaning it cannot be sold or cultivated, and those who have it in their gardens must ensure it does not spread. It has long been believed that the giant or . The former is a benign plant originating in South America, while the latter is highly invasive. It has been illegal to sell or cultivate since 2017, but now a study by the Royal Horticultural Society shows that appears to have been lost from cultivation not long after it was introduced. Instead, researchers found a hybrid of and , which has been named . This species, similarly invasive to , will be banned.
